August 12, 2021
Protecting children

CHCS monitors area communications related to COVID-19, including daily updates from Dr. Robert Kenagy, CEO of Stormont Vail Health in Topeka. In Tuesday's update, he shared the following.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reported that child cases of COVID-19 have steadily increased in the U.S. since the beginning of July. In the first week of August, there were 93,824 new COVID-19 cases in children, representing 15% of the weekly reported cases. As of last Thursday, nearly 4.3 million children have tested positive since the start of the pandemic.
 
While it appears children and adolescents have less severe illness than adults, the AAP says more study is needed about longer-term impacts of the pandemic on children, including ways the virus may harm physical health of infected children, as well as emotional and mental health effects.
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that because the delta variant is more transmissible than other variants, protection against exposure is more important than ever, especially among those who are unvaccinated or too young to be vaccinated.
 
  • The CDC recommends that parents take appropriate protective actions, such as having children older than age 2 who are unvaccinated wear masks in public indoor settings.
  • For in-person learning in schools, the CDC recommends indoor masking for teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.
 
Dr. Kenagy also addressed the increasing number of hospitalizations among children, noting: In Springfield, Mo., the county health department reported a 113% increase in infections for children under the age of 12 from June to July. Mercy Springfield said with the delta variant, it is admitting up to five children per day. In previous surges, the hospital had very few children, if any, admitted for the virus.

This is consistent with what we heard from a weekly call with Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of KDHE. Hospitals throughout the state are reporting an increase in children testing positive for COVID-19 as well as hospitalizations.
"Now That's Rural" features CHCS
Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University, writes a weekly column featuring rural people and achievements that may otherwise go unnoticed. This week, his column features CHCS, and he will feature Dr. Tom Walsh in next week's column.

This week's column begins, "Have you heard the saying about building an airplane while trying to fly it? That would be one way of describing one hospital in rural Kansas which was transforming itself while continuing to provide services – and in the case of the hospital building, a new hospital was literally built in the place of the old one. This small-town hospital in rural Kansas has been transformed into a state-of-the-art health care facility."
Ron Wilson's column is widely distributed by K-State Research and Extension communication channels and appears in many local newspapers. Audio versions also run on Kansas radio stations.
CHCS introduces Heart to Heart Therapy
Patients who have a heart attack or a heart procedure can participate in Cardiac Rehab to help regain their health. But CHCS wants to do more to help people prevent heart problems in the first place. A new program, Heart to Heart Therapy, can do just that.

The friendly, highly customizable program is designed to help people set goals, learn about heart health risk factors, and start exercising with help from a team of wellness experts.
Meranda Schmitz, RN and Cardiac Rehab nurse, said she wants to prevent people from having to see her in the future after experiencing a cardiac event. She also wants to make the environment fun.

“We really want Heart to Heart Therapy to be something people want to do. We’re flexible, and our team will make sure patients are doing the activities they enjoy during the four-month program, plus getting their questions answered along the way,” Schmitz said.

Heart to Heart Therapy is available in Onaga and Frankfort and provides access to a caring team of coaches. CHCS is also offering another new service, SET for PAD. We'll talk about what that means next week.
Delivering the WOW experience
Brandy Watkins, Holton Clinic Lead Nurse, recently took time to share the following.

"Holton Clinic nurse Michelle Blindt, RN, went above and beyond for a patient of Dr. Allen's. She found out the patient was in need of an electric scooter, and she made multiple phone calls, found a used one that needed parts, ordered the parts and got it working, then delivered it to the patient's home. WOW!!! And the only reason I even knew about this was due to overhearing a phone call--she never said a word," Brandy said.

Thank you, Michelle, for providing the WOW experience, and for going the extra mile to make sure patients' needs are met.

Thank you, Brandy, for taking time to share!
The WOW experience applies to helping our co-workers, too! Ellie Haverkamp, OT assistant, shared the following with Stephani Rumbo, PT assistant.

"I just wanted to extend my thanks to the North staff, particularly Bill and Lura Flentie, as well as Lyndsi Morton for going above and beyond to help me out yesterday. I was driving between Centralia and Frankfort and had a flat tire, on a very hot, summer day. Thanks to Lyndsi for picking me up so I could still see my Frankfort outpatient, and my thanks to Bill for putting the donut on the car, and then he and Lura driving it to Batt Tire so I could easily pick up at the end of my day. I really appreciate them dropping what they were doing to help me out when I needed it!" Ellie wrote.

Thanks to all who helped Ellie, and thanks to Ellie and Stephani for sharing. What a team!

Have you noticed an individual or a group at CHCS delivering the WOW experience? Send it to Sarah Hancock or call extension 5133.
Mental Health First Aid is back!
CHCS is offering two virtual Mental Health First Aid courses in September. Please share this information with our communities! (Click the flyer at right to expand, save, and send/print.)

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid will be offered September 22 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This course is for adults who interact with youth. The course is great for parents, grandparents, teachers, school or church staff, 4-H leaders, or others who would like to be able to help a young person aged 6 through 18 who may be struggling. Topics include common signs and symptoms of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance use; trauma; self-care; and the impact of social media and bullying.
  • Adult Mental Health First Aid will be offered September 30 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This course is for adults and focuses on common signs and symptoms of mental illness and substance use in adults, plus how to interact with a person in crisis, how to connect the person with help, and much more.

Cost is $30 for books and materials; all must register by September 13. Both courses require two hours of online education prior to the virtual course meeting. Instructors for the youth course are Angie Sauvage, Licensed Master Social Worker, and Kelsey Edwards, Rehabilitation and Fitness Center Coordinator. Instructors for the adult class are Angie Sauvage and Alexis Whorton, RN for Community HomeHealth.

Anyone interested in registering should contact Kelsey Edwards by September 13 at 785-889-5048 or kelseyedwards@chcsks.org.  
Pottawatomie County Fair fun
Above: Todd and Nancy with Diane Roggenkamp at the Rodeo Food Stand. Right: Thanks to Jason and Bonnie McKinsey for driving their golf cart! They are pictured here with their kids and Suzanne Booth and Todd Willert. Thanks to Suzanne for organizing CHCS efforts!
CHCS was well represented in Onaga during the Pottawatomie County Fair.

Thanks to Ben Schlegel and Luke Perry from Maintenance for hauling tables to and from the Rodeo Food Stand, an Onaga Area Chamber fundraiser. (CHCS also donated the bratwursts.) And thanks to Todd and Nancy Willert for working a shift in the stand. Whew, it was a hot one!

Thanks are also due to the team that represented CHCS at the Pottawatomie County Fair Parade on Sunday. Way to go!
Below: Onaga Lab associate Irene Gingoyon recruited some special guests to help represent CHCS. She was joined at the parade by her twin brothers, Jasper and Edson Gingoyon. They look great in their new CHCS T-shirts!
Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!
Kansas State University is offering special discounted tickets to two home football games this fall to thank frontline healthcare workers.

Ascension Via Christi received the flyer at right and was given permission to share the discount with other healthcare organizations in the area.

Click the flyer to expand for more information. Scan the QR code or follow the instructions to order your discounted tickets.

Go Cats!
Important reminders
 
  • Give blood tomorrow -- Friday, August 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and receive a free Royals t-shirt or hat! Book an appointment online or contact Marlene Wolfe by email or at ext. 5002.
  • Redbud residents play games regularly, and prizes are awarded to winners. If you have small items to donate for prizes, please give them to Meranda Schmitz or Sarah Hancock.
  • Community Home Care Equipment (formerly DME) adjusted its hours back in the spring. It's open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (closed Fridays!) Call extension 5018 for help during business hours. After hours, please leave a voicemail.
  • Any CHCS associate who wishes to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or who has questions about the vaccine is welcome to contact Employee Health Nurse Christina Hasenkamp. Questions and conversations will be kept confidential. Contact Christina by phone at extension 5109 or email christinahasenkamp@chcsks.org. View a flyer.
  • Employee Assistance Program: All CHCS associates are eligible for three confidential counseling sessions per fiscal year (April 1-March 31). To schedule, contact Regina Gronewoller, LSCSW, at reginagronewoller@chcsks.org (preferred) or call 785-437-3734. Download and share a flyer.
Coffee Shop special

August 16-20
White chocolate raspberry latte
  • 16 oz., $4
  • Hot, cold, or frappe
FRIDAY Special: The Coffee Shop Meal Deal is available on Fridays! Cherry limeades are also available separately on Fridays.
CHCS menu: Onaga and Eastridge

St. Marys menus are available each morning through the Activities chronicle.
Big Boy
John Jeanneret and Michelle Lippert took seven Redbud Assisted Living residents to go see Big Boy No. 4014 steam into Onaga on Monday. “Even though it was hot, they really enjoyed it. They stayed in the bus where it was cooler,” Michelle said.
Final funny
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