 pectrum Health Gerber Memorial’s Community Health and Safety Day features fun and informative activities for the whole family. At the 2017 day, kids learned CPR, among other things. Fire trucks and family fun headline free Gerber Memorial health & safety festival
Fremont – Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial will feature fire trucks, crash scene demonstrations, free screenings and family fun activities such as children’s bounce houses and an inflatable kids’ slide – at its Health and Safety Day at Tamarac, 1401 West Main Street, Fremont on May 19. The event is free and the public is invited to join in the fun and informative event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial is thrilled to host our Health and Safety Day to showcase information that can keep families safe, and offer fun activities for the whole family,” said Josh Gustafson, director of community health. “Gerber Memorial is grateful to our community partners for taking part in Health and Safety Day, and for helping promote safety and wellness in Newaygo County. This event really is for our community so they can learn about the great work our first responders and health professionals do, and have a fun day out with the family.” In addition to checking out fire trucks and other emergency vehicles from the Fremont Fire Department, visitors to the event can also see what it’s like to drive while distracted through a simulator provided by the Newaygo County Sheriff’s office and the Michigan State Police. Fun activities for the whole family include:
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 Newaygo County Medication Take-Back Events April 28th
According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The Headway Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Newaygo Police Department are partnering to host a medication collection event to help people safely dispose of unused and/or expired medications. Medications can be dropped off Saturday, April 28th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office in White Cloud or Hometown Pharmacy in Newaygo. This event is free and anonymous; people participating will not be asked any questions when dropping off medications. Items that will be accepted include: prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, ointments, sprays, inhalers, creams, needles, and pet medications. Items that will not be accepted include: bio-hazardous materials and household hazardous waste. Newaygo County also has permanent collection boxes available at all law enforcement agencies, Newaygo Hometown Pharmacy, TrueNorth Community Services, and Newaygo County Commission on Aging. At these locations, medications can be dropped off during business hours. Since these collection boxes started in 2014, 3,285 pounds of medication have been collected in Newaygo County. The take back events and permanent collection boxes aim to address prescription drug abuse. Local survey data reveals that 47% of youth who have abuse medication in the past 30 days obtain the medication from their parents or grandparents medicine cabinets (SYS, 2016). “Unused or expired medications can cause several problems, one being medications that are flushed down the toilet or thrown into the garbage can and do find their way into our water systems. Second, medications lying around can find their way into children’s hands which can and have led to deadly consequences,” says Undersheriff Chad Palmiter. The event coincides with the DEA National Take Back Day, which is sponsored by the DEA to collect unused controlled substances. For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 28th Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website. Free Quit Tobacco and Nicotine Classes for Moms-to-Be and Others
Three new classes are being offered in May to help people quit tobacco and nicotine for good! Moms and Moms-to-Be can get the special help they need on four weekly Wednesdays, from May 2 through 23, 11 a.m. to 12 noon at Tamarac, 1401 W. Main Street, Fremont. Free smoothies and day passes to Tamarac, plus free child watch at Tamarac Tree House, are special offers to those who attend the classes.Others who wish to quit cigarettes, chew, e-cigs or other nicotine addictions can come to four weekly classes offered in Newaygo or Fremont: Tuesdays, May 1 through 22, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Tamarac, 1401 W. Main Street, Fremont; or Wednesdays, May 2 through 23, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at The Stream, 1 State Road, Newaygo. The classes are free and are run by Sally Wagoner, RN, Tobacco Treatment Specialist at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial. “The four weekly classes will give the information, motivation, tools and help you need to quit,” states Sally Wagoner. “However, I encourage everyone to continue for another 4 weeks after these classes, to make sure you get the support you need during those first important weeks of quitting.” “I also meet with people one on one, or even with families and couples to help them quit, if these classes do not work out for them. I am dedicated and very eager to help anyone quit the deadly nicotine addiction.” Smoking tobacco causes more preventable chronic diseases and death than any other daily lifestyle behavior. This includes over 12 kinds of cancers, emphysema and COPD (chronic obstructive lung disease), heart disease and stroke, among others. Plus mothers-to-be who smoke can contribute to premature birth of their baby, increased infections and higher SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) rates in their newborns. Even e-cigarettes are dangerous to those who vape and to those around them. The vape from e-cigs is not just water vapor, but a combination of small particles and toxic fumes from the flavors and additives in the e-juice, some of which are cancer causing. The e-devices are not federally controlled, so many of them do not list their ingredients, plus there have been many cases of them blowing up and igniting while in use. “I want to help people live long and healthy lives free of nicotine and tobacco addiction,” added Ms. Wagoner. “And I want them to have the added bonus of saving money that can be used for other important things in their lives.” Pre-registration is needed for the classes. To sign up, or for more information, contact Sally Wagoner, RN, TTS: 231.924.7589; or email sally.wagoner@spectrumhealth.org.  Don't prune or injure oak trees during greatest risk period
Have an oak tree on your property? To keep it healthy, don’t prune it from mid-April through the summer. That’s a key time for infection with oak wilt, a serious disease that can weaken white oaks and kill red oak trees within weeks. Oak wilt, caused by a fungus, has been reported throughout the Midwest, including Michigan, said Ryan Wheeler, invasive species biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Red oaks are most susceptible to the disease. These trees have leaves with pointed tips and include black oak, northern red oak and northern pin oak. Trees in the white oak group have rounded leaf edges and include white oak and swamp white oak. They are less susceptible. Symptoms most often appear from June until September. "Affected trees will suddenly begin to wilt from the top down, rapidly dropping leaves, which can be green, brown or a combination of both colors," Wheeler said. Oak wilt is spread above ground mainly by sap-feeding beetles that carry the disease spores from an infected tree, or wood cut from an infected tree, to fresh wounds,  Students from West Shore Community College share a light moment during their visit to Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial to better learn about ways to connect healthcare with the community. From left, Kristan Shoemaker; Walter Marks; David Martin; Gerber Memorial clinical education specialist Shelly Klochack, RN; and Kira Vogel. West Shore Community College nursing students visit Gerber Memorial to learn about connecting with people they serve FREMONT- Four nursing students from West Shore Community College in Scottville near Ludington spent a day at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial to learn more about how to connect healthcare with the communities in which nurses work. “The question we often ask ourselves is how can we be agents of change when we go out into the community as nurses?” Susan Warmuskerken, nursing instructor at WSCC, said during the visit on Wednesday. The students set up displays and discussed stress and its impact on overall health, as well as hepatitis and prevention. One student, David Martin of Fremont, also displayed a home-made container to dispose of needles and other sharp objects to keep them away from people. “Opportunities like this are a great door opener and a good first step to get students in here for clinicals,” said Shelly Klochack, RN, and Gerber Memorial clinical education specialist. “Getting students interested in working here is an important step. The nice thing about doing clinicals at a smaller hospital like Gerber Memorial is they get to experience more and learn more.”  West Shore Community College nursing student David Martin of Fremont, left, shows WSCC nursing instructor Susan Warmuskerken and WSCC nursing student Kristan Shoemaker, right, a homemade device to keep sharp objects away from people.  Becoming an Outdoors Woman outdoor photography students get up close to some forget-me-nots at the Bay Cliff Health Camp in Marquette County. Registration opens for summer program in the Upper Peninsula
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced registration is open for this summer’s “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” (BOW) program, which is set for June 1-3 in Marquette County. This will mark the 21st annual summer BOW gathering for women, 18 and older, who are seeking an opportunity to improve their outdoor skills in a relaxed, non-competitive atmosphere. “Becoming an Outdoors Woman is a program where each individual is encouraged to learn at her own pace,” said Michelle Zellar, BOW program coordinator in Newberry. “The emphasis is on the enjoyment, fun and camaraderie of outdoor activities and sharing in the success of one another.” The summer BOW program is sponsored by the DNR and offers instruction in more than two dozen different types of activities, including kayaking, wilderness first aid and survival, lake and fly fishing, field birding, geocaching, shooting sports, boating and introduction to bird hunting with dogs. “Volunteer BOW instructors provide basic and advanced teaching that is tailored to each participant's individual ability, helping participants learn the basics in a short amount of time,” Zellar said. BOW participants stay and take their classes at the Bay Cliff Health Camp, a universally accessible facility overlooking Lake Superior, which is situated about 30 miles north of Marquette near Big Bay. Participants will be housed in a dorm-style facility with amenities including a sauna, pool, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails, along with easy access to northern hardwood forests and Lake Superior. “The summer program typically fills quickly, so early registration is encouraged," Zellar said. The $200 registration fee includes all food and lodging, as well as most equipment and supplies. The deadline for registration is May 11. A limited number of BOW Scholarships are available to help low-income participants with the cost of registration. The scholarship application deadline is May 4. Class information and registration materials are available online at www.michigan.gov/bow. Registrations must be mailed, with payment, to the DNR Newberry customer service center address stated on the form. For more information on the summer BOW program, contact Michelle Zellar at the DNR Customer Service Center in Newberry at 906-293-5131 or by e-mail at DNRBOW@michigan.gov.  Barbara Sutton, certified nursing assistant, and Sarah Harms, RN, (right) compare notes in the Emergency Department at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial on Friday. The Emergency Department was recently designated a Level Four trauma center. Gerber Memorial Emergency Department successfully gets Level Four trauma designation from state FREMONT– Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial has been officially designated a Level Four Trauma Center, which means its Emergency Department is capable of providing advanced trauma life support (ATLS) prior to transfer of patients to a higher-level trauma center. Under the Level Four designation Gerber Memorial can provide evaluation, stabilization and diagnostic capabilities for injured patients. “Every day, no matter what the hour, Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial’s Emergency Department team goes above and beyond to ensure the dozens of patients who walk through our doors get quality, compassionate care,” said Susie Gatrell, RN, clinical program specialist and a lead during the review process. “Emergency care requires teamwork, quick decision-making, medical skill and best practices. This designation says a lot about the professionalism and expertise of Gerber Memorial’s emergency team.” Gerber Memorial’s Chief Nursing Officer Meleah Mariani said the Level Four designation benefits the Newaygo County community. “Because we’re committed to successfully achieving the Level Four trauma designation, our nurses received highly specialized training and education that will help the families we serve,” Mariani said. “We take a coordinated approach to quickly evaluate, stabilize and decide next steps for our patients. Our emergency team is focused on injury prevention in the community. Ultimately, the Level Four trauma designation is about further enhancing and improving the care we provide to our community.” State of Michigan authorities evaluated Gerber Memorial on 17 separate categories, each with multiple criteria, and found no deficiencies. The categories ranged from emergency medicine and trauma systems to disaster planning, radiology and outreach and education. A Level Four trauma center must be able to demonstrate the following:
Prior to the designation, Gerber Memorial’s Emergency Department was a provisional Level Four center. State of Michigan officials conducted a site review at Gerber Memorial in November 2017 and concluded Gerber Memorial had no deficiencies.   Free introduction session coming Thursday
Life is pretty stressful for a lot of folks these days and finding ways to deal with some of the tension and anxiety associated with stress can be a challenge. There are, of course, a number of unhealthy alternatives that are easily turned to for temporary relief but none provide any long term solutions for coping with the pressures life can present. For over half a century people all over the world have found peace of mind in the practice of Transcendental Meditation. “Research has shown that TM meditators have less anxiety and depression, sleep better, and are mentally and physically healthier,” said Mike Hummel a long time practitioner who began instructing the method over 10 years ago. On Thursday April 26th at 7pm he will be presenting a free ‘Introduction to Transcendental Meditation’ session at Tamarac 1401 West Main Street in Fremont “Transcendental Meditation is a simple, easy to learn, mental technique that reduces stress, gives us more energy, and leads to the development of our full mental potential,” In recent years Hummel taught the method to veterans with PTSD, a program that yielded positive results with PTSD symptoms decreasing among those practicing TM. This past fall Hummel brought TM to White Cloud Schools under a Fremont Area Community Foundation grant. N3 ran a story on this program earlier this year. https://www.nearnorthnow.com/news/t-m-bringing-calm-to-the-cloud For more information, please come to the workshop. After all, we could all use a little less stress in our lives. Golf event June 22 to raise funds for Gerber Memorial’s increasingly busy cancer center
Fremont– Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial will host a golf scramble fundraiser on Friday, June 22, at Waters Edge Golf Course in Fremont to support the hospital’s local cancer center. The 18th Annual Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Golf Scramble starts at 8 a.m., with a shotgun start at 9 a.m., and ends with a lunch at 2 p.m. Fee is $150 per person, and includes continental breakfast, 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch and prizes. The cost for a foursome is $600. Waters Edge is located at 1100 Ramshorn, Fremont, 49412. “Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial’s Cancer Center is truly a community asset that has served families so they can get their care locally, and the golf scramble is an opportunity to raise much-needed funds that help improve the center,” said Loretta Towne, Spectrum Health Foundation at Gerber Memorial specialist. “Gerber Memorial is extremely grateful to have the continuing support of our community and our sponsors. Our cancer center sees more patients every year, and the generous support from our community will definitely go toward a great cause.” Registration is now open online: give.spectrumhealth.org/gerber-memorial/golf. Towne encouraged interested parties to register early and sponsorships are available, starting with tee sponsors at $200 and up. In 2017, Gerber Memorial’s Cancer Center saw 3,103 patients, with 266 of them new patients. The 2017 golf scramble raised more than $30,000 and helped fund a new consultation room. The new space now provides privacy for providers to meet with patients and their families to discuss their diagnosis, treatments, and procedures. It is important for individuals to have this space during what can be very difficult conversations. The funds also improved flooring in the oncology department’s patient rooms. This solid surface flooring allows for easier cleaning, which results in improved safety by reducing the likelihood of patients and visitors being exposed to residual hazardous medication. In addition, the funds helped widen the doorways and add powered door openers, easing access for those with walkers and wheelchairs. Lunch at the golf scramble will be catered by Lakes 23 Restaurant and Pub at Waters Edge, with pulled BBQ pork sandwiches, pub chips, pasta salad and chocolate brownies. Further questions about donations to the outing or registration can be directed to Towne at 231.924.3681 or emailloretta.towne@spectrumhealth.org. Alzheimer’s Program to begin April 16th at Tamarac
“While no one can change the outcome of dementia or Alzheimer's, with the right support you can change the journey.”-Tara Reed Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. Alzheimer's has no current cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. Although current Alzheimer's treatments cannot stop Alzheimer's from progressing, they can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. Today, there is a worldwide effort underway to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, and prevent it from developing. Beginning April 16th and continuing on the third Monday of each month thereafter Tamarac, The Center for Health and Well Being will be hosting an Alzheimer’s Program and services from 9am-12pm. The Alzheimer’s Association will provide local residents with information about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including symptoms and effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia; how Alzheimer’s affects the brain; causes and risk factors; how to find out if it’s Alzheimer’s disease; the benefits of early detection; how to address a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease; stages of the disease; treatment; hope for the future; and ways the Alzheimer’s Association can help. Have questions related to memory loss and providing care for a person with Alzheimer’s disease? You are invited to meet one-on-one with an Alzheimer’s Association Care Consultant to discuss your concerns. To schedule your appointment please contact 800.272.3900 – Walk-ins welcome. The third Monday of every month starting April 16, 2018 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Tamarac, The Center for Health and Well-being 1401 W Main St Fremont |
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