Wellness Words May 2013 Posted on May 15, 2013May 15, 2013 by Dakota PikeHealthLink Littauer’sWELLNESS WORDSSubmitted by Wendy Chirieleison, MS EdCommunity Health Educator OsteoarthritisWHAT IS IT?Osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative arthritis, hypertrophic arthritis, or age-related arthritis) implies an inflamed joint by its very name. Osteoarthritis (OA) develops over time as our joints age. Don’t confuse OA with osteoporosis, which is a condition that causes thinning of the bones.According to the Cleveland Clinic, osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis in the United States, affecting more than 70% of adults between 55 and 78 years of age. Women are affected more than men. OA is very common and can be impacted by obesity, injuries we have sustained through our lives, age, and genetic disposition. OA can cause our joints to become stiff and painful. Any of our joints can be affected, such as the joints in our hands, knees, hips, neck, and back.HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?Our bones are cushioned at the ends by joints. Our joints contain cartilage and fluid, which act as “shock absorbers.” According to the Mayo Clinic, cartilage is a firm and slippery tissue that allows “frictionless joint movement.” Repeated use of our bones causes deterioration of the cartilage and fluid in the joint. When cartilage deteriorates, our bones begin to rub against each other.Thitinan Srikulmontree M.D., a Rheumatologist at San JuanMedicalCenter, postulates that when this happens, it results in the inflammation of the area around our joints, bone deterioration, and a reduction in range of motion. Dr. Srikulmontree says that the symptoms of OA are different for each person, and can include swelling, pain, stiffness, warmth, and creaking of the joints. OA can affect anyone age 40 and older. The risk factors are: obesity, injuries to the joints, having family members with OA, or joint deformities.DIAGNOSING OAThere are different ways doctors can diagnose this type of arthritis in patients. According to WebMD, an x-ray allows doctors to see if there has been a loss of cartilage in the joint area. Other tests used to diagnose OA examine joint fluid, and analyze the location of the problem, the duration, and the type of symptoms that are occurring. Finally, through surgical procedures, doctors can view joint spaces to locate any abnormalities. The diagnosis process is different for each patient.HOW DO YOU MANAGE OA?There are many types of treatments for OA from medication to surgery. Since the effects and symptoms of OA differ so much from person to person, only your doctor can tell you what treatments are right for you. There are other things that you can do to minimize the effects that OA can have on your daily living. First and foremost is weight loss and healthy lifestyle. According to Dr. Srikulmontree, each pound we lose reduces the amount pressure put on our joints, which eases pain. If you don’t have OA, the weight loss decreases the likelihood that you will develop it.Eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can help you maintain a healthy weight. Exercise can help strengthen muscles, decrease pain, and can lessen the chance of disability due to OA. It’s best to check with your doctor or physical therapist before starting any type of exercise, but generally “low impact” exercise is desirable. Activities such as swimming or taking an arthritis Tai Chi class can help reduce pain and improve overall fitness. Using canes, leg braces, and hot or cold therapy can help decrease pain.Dr. Srikulmontree also suggests some other steps you can take to help you manage OA. They include cushioning your neck and back while sitting and sleeping, adjusting things around the house to access them easier (for example, raising your chair or toilet seat), and avoiding repeated joint motions like bending,For more information, attend a free program entitled ‘Osteoarthritis’ on May 22 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. in Littauer’s Auditorium presented by Dr. Donald Raddatz, Rheumatologist of Cooperstown. For more information, call HealthLink Littauer at 736-1120.
Walk, or roll to school with Littauer Posted on May 15, 2013May 15, 2013 by Dakota PikeLocal schools and Nathan Littauer to celebrate National Bike or Walk to School Day May 8- 15, 2013 Nathan Littauer Hospital and schools from the Johnstown and Gloversville School districts will join others from around the nation to celebrate National Bike or Walk to School Day on May 8 and throughout the following week. The collaboration is with the schools, Public Health of Fulton County and local schools. Hundreds of students from Glebe Street and Park Terrace Elementary Schools will be walking and rolling to school Wednesday along with parents, teachers and community leaders. Glebe Street students will walk or bike from home in the company of family or friends. Glebe is holding a second walk or bike to school day one week later on May 15th. Students who participate in both events will have their name entered in a prize drawing. For Park Terrace, the event will begin at 8 am with students, school staff, parents and community leaders walking or biking from the park at the intersection Park and Forrest Streets to school. Participants will arrive at the school at in time for a special healthy breakfast and have their name entered in a prize drawing as well. Feedback from students who participated in last year’s walk to school days said they liked spending time with family and friends, recognizing that is was also good for them. Many noted that they could concentrate in better school after their early morning exercise. The event is being organized by the respective school with support from Nathan Littauer’s HealthLink, Fulton County Public Health and the Johnstown and Gloversville Police Departments. HealthLink Director, Sue Cridland, said that these type of events are relatively easy to implement.. the key is having a few committed staff members at each school who are willing to promote the idea. In 2011, International Walk to School Day was celebrated at more than 4,000 events at schools across the United States, along with children and adults in 40 countries around the world. Walk to School Day events raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and concern for the environment. The events build connections between families, schools and the broader community. For additional local information, please contact Sue Cridland, Director of Community Education for Nathan Littauer Hospital , (518) 736-1120 For additional information, please visit these websites: Walk to School Day in the USA www.walkbiketoschool.org National Center for Safe Routes to School www.saferoutesinfo.orgInternational Walk to School Day www.iwalktoschool.org About Walk to School DayWalk to School Day was established in the United States in 1997 by the Partnership for a Walkable America. Canada and Great Britain already had walk to school programs in place. In 2000, these three countries joined together to create International Walk to School Day. The National Center for Safe Routes to School serves as the national coordinating agency for Walk to School activities in the United States. Walk to School Day began as a simple idea – children and parents, school and local officials walking to school together on a designated day. It is an energizing event, reminding everyone of the simple joy of walking to school, the health benefits of regular daily activity, and the need for safe places to walk and bike. Schools focus on health, safety, physical activity and concern for the environment.Organizations supporting International Walk to School Day in the United States include America Walks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Highway Administration, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the National Center for Bicycling and Walking, the National Center for Safe Routes to School, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safe Kids Worldwide, and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. xxx
Kathie Rohrs receives award for clinical strengths and vision Posted on May 13, 2013 by Dakota PikeCongratulations to our own Kathie Rohrs, MSN, RN, CDE, a Patient Education Coordinator and Diabetes Educator at Littauer who was awarded the prestigious Ellen Burns Award by the Nursing Organization from Fulton, Montgomery and Schenectady counties last week. The Award is given annually to a nurse who has a vision of nursing and consistently explores new perspectives for meeting nursing challenges of the future by: articulating this vision into his/her own area of practice and assisting colleagues, new graduates, and students through support and role modeling, to embrace the vision. The organization also look for a change agent. That is, someone who promotes a positive image of nursing to the community through role-modeling and empowerment of self and others. She provides professional and/or community education, and she continuously strives toward professional growth. They also recognized Kathie for her excellence in nursing through assisting students and colleagues to meet personal and professional goals and by assisting the community to meet health needs and expectations. Laurence E. Kelly, Hospital President and CEO states, “We are immensely proud of Kathie Rohrs and her outstanding work in the field of diabetic counseling and management. There are hundreds of people in our region who are walking examples of her work. They are the people who are living life to the fullest because of Kathie’s encouragement, skill and counsel after being diagnosed with diabetes.” He added, “We have always known her to be a passionate, committed nurse. It was only a matter of time before she was recognized for her work in this field.”
Nathan Littauer Celebrates Hospital Week Posted on May 10, 2013May 10, 2013 by Dakota PikeNational Hospital Week PutsSpotlight on PeopleA hospital is more than a place where people go to heal, it is a part of the community that fosters health and represents hope. From providing treatment and comfort to the sick, to welcoming new life into the world, hospitals are central to a healthy and optimistic community. That’s the message organizers are touting with the 2013 National Hospital Week theme “A Guiding Light for Changing Times.” National Hospital Week is May 12-18th of this year.Nathan Littauer is also celebrating National Nursing Home Week the same week. “National Hospital Week, first and foremost, is a celebration of people,” stated Laurence E. Kelly, Littauer‘s President and CEO said. “We’re extremely proud of each member of our staff and we recognize the important role they play in extending a sense of trust to our patients and our communities.”The nation’s largest health care event, National Hospital Week dates back to 1921 when it was suggested by a magazine editor who hoped a community wide celebration would alleviate public fears about hospitals. The celebration, launched in Chicago, succeeded in promoting trust and goodwill among members of the public and eventually spread to facilities across the country. A full slate of community activities is planned for 2013. At a picnic May 16th employees will be recognized for their dedication to the Littauer Family of Health Services. In celebration the hospital plans the following activities:Monday: National Hospital Week kick-off Walking track challenge begins Volleyball Begins Reiki 2pm-4pm Blood Pressures from 11am-1pm in lobby Tuesday: Make your own Ice cream Sundays Music in Café’ Wednesday: Nathan Littauer gives back! Employee gifts. Massages 9am-1pm and 3:30pm- 6:30pm Reiki 1pm-2pmThursday: BBQ for hospital employees starting at 3am until 6pm Massages 6am – 8amFriday: Gifts to be handed out by managers. ZUMBA (in apple orchard parking lot) 4pmAccording to the American Hospital Association, “Hospitals are: Economic Contributors, Gateways to Care, and Centers of Innovation. Improving Community Health and Committed to Quality and Safety.”
Nathan Littauer Celebrates Auxilian Day Posted on May 7, 2013 by Dakota Pike Governor Andrew Cuomo has proclaimed May 8, 2013 as Health Care Auxilian Day in New York State to recognize the dedicated auxiliary members who donate more than five million hours of service each year to their health care facilities and to their communities. Nathan Littauer Auxilians will gather at Harold’s in Gloversville, on Wednesday, May 8th, to celebrate and honor the work and support Auxilians provide throughout the year. During the past year, the Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home Auxiliary has hosted five blood drives, participated in HealthLink’s Women’s Health Fair, attended ViP luncheons, assisted in disaster drills, sponsored sales and created a Staff Appreciation Day for the Nathan Littauer team members. They have held numerous fund raisers, manage a Buy-a-Brick Campaign for the reflection garden, hosted an annual card party, held a Tree of Lights event to memorialize people who have passed. Also, the Auxiliary is in its third year of presenting an American flag to any inpatient who is a veteran. On a daily basis, they deliver patient mail, deliver magazine to the lobbies, volunteer in the gift shop, and work at the information desks, and has a singing group, Nate’s Notes who regularly perform for the residents, staff and visitors on their new digital piano. They volunteer throughout the Nursing Home and for various departments throughout Littauer’s Health Care System including: recreation, nutrition and weekly Mass. Notably, on December 31, 2013 the auxiliary fulfilled their $200,000 pledge to the hospital’s five year Campaign for Excellence. The Auxilians also donated over 11,000 hours of service to the hospital and nursing home in 2012. If anyone is interested in volunteering , please contact Susan McNeil, Volunteer Director at 77-5408. New York State has more than 75,000 health care auxilians who initiate, fund, and volunteer for a wide variety of patient and family care services—from outpatient clinics to intensive care units. They sponsor community health fairs, health screenings, blood banks, and wellness lectures; raise funds for hospital and nursing home equipment; and organize and underwrite outreach programs in their communities.
Nathan Littauer holds disaster drill Posted on May 2, 2013 by Dakota PikeNews coverage of our disaster drill
School ‘explosion’ makes for good practice Posted on May 1, 2013 by Dakota PikeDaily Gazette published Tuesday, April 30, 2013By Edward Munger Jr.Littauer practices a disaster, with “patients” wearing make-up and acting the part of victimsGLOVERSVILLE — Birds were chirping as the sun poked through clouds while a few patients meandered through Nathan Littauer Hospital on Tuesday.It was a typical, not-too-busy morning at a hospital that saw roughly 24,000 emergency room patients last year.But that would all change with a phone call aimed at giving hospital staff some practice for what they’d do if a calm morning was shattered by an explosion at a local middle school.Though it took place just two weeks after the Boston Marathon bombing, Nathan Littauer’s emergency — a bombing — was coincidentally planned two years ago. The initial phone call alerted the hospital of only one thing: there had been an explosion at a local school, and no further information was available.That call set in motion an emergency plan that runs from the hospital’s top executives through engineering and other departments — it was time to prepare for the unknown.The scene in the emergency room was not what one might expect — there weren’t a bunch of harried doctors and nurses running around shouting and calling out for supplies.Students played victims in a disaster drill.Instead, each member of the staff had a role to play and moved into position at the emergency room entrance. Rooms were being prepped and supplies were being gathered.Behind the scenes, hospital President and CEO Laurence Kelly joined other administrators in a command room to prepare the hospital for what would come next.Kelly said he and others were taking a “snapshot” of the hospital to answer several questions, like how many physicians and nurses were on hand, how many patients were already there and how many were in surgery.If there were non-essential elective surgeries planned, they would be canceled to ensure sufficient medical staff and equipment for emergency treatment.Within 20 minutes, another call came in to report that 14 patients were on their way in. Critical work by EMTs to stabilize patients for transport had already taken place. Some victims would be coming in via ambulance; another group of 10 was headed in on a bus.“Then we knew we had enough staff,” Kelly said. Hospitals in the vicinity of the Boston Marathon took on anywhere from 14 to 30 patients following the April 15 bombing, officials said, and Nathan Littauer had sufficient operating room space, staff and equipment available to handle 14 victims, Kelly said. If it didn’t, he said, the next step would be to start calling in doctors, nurses and other staff not currently working.A series of steps were under way in the front of hospital as staff awaited patients. Then the patients — played by BOCES students considering careers in health care — showed up all at once, and there were more patients in the ER than nurses.Registered nurse Bonnie Looman, a critical care manager, admitted they were temporarily outnumbered. “We are. But that’s what we do,” the 40-year hospital veteran said calmly. “We’re going to need more nursing,” emergency room doctor Robert Werblin said, loud enough to be heard but also in a calm manner.He had already asked for several pieces of equipment to be prepared, including intravenous holders and oxygen monitors. One by one, each patient was directed to the appropriate place. Many who were walking and appeared to have flesh wounds were taken to one side.Others were unconscious; one was crying out for her baby, one was dead and bound for the morgue and another patient came in with a simulated object protruding from her eye. That patient was brought to Room 10, where RN Shawn Cronin took over.“I’ve got a priority-one here,” said Cronin, summoning Werblin for his input. Werblin called for a CT scan, and Cronin continued to monitor the patient. Cronin got the patient hooked up to monitors that check blood pressure, oxygen, respiration and other factors after making sure the eye wound was secured and her airway wasn’t restricted.“Now I’m one-on-one with this patient,” said Cronin, who said the object had to stay where it was until staff determined whether it was keeping an artery or vein from gushing.As nurses and doctors attended to patients, several other tasks taking place highlighted the complicated nature of mass casualty response.Family members would be showing up, so the hospital designated a family liaison and a spot for family members to wait — the cafeteria. Another site would be set up outside for the media expected to show up. One staff member was cataloging all of the patients who came in and marking their status and location on a chart. They were also recording how much time it took to get patients stabilized.“We’re trying to improve our time,” said Carrie Newkirk, the hospital’s security supervisor and emergency management coordinator. From past experience with multiple injuries, Newkirk said there was one major difference between the drill and the real thing: there would be fewer people in the way during a real incident. Several staff members were on hand during the drill to evaluate everybody’s performance, and members of the media allowed to view the drill were also in the corridor. “It goes much smoother than the drills,” Newkirk said.Susan McNeil, the hospital’s volunteer services director, said the staff’s relaxed demeanor during the drill is typical even for real-life situations. “It is not abnormal for it to be calm,” she said.
