Rockcastle Regional Hospital coordinates Child Abuse Awareness Campaign
Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Center has become an official partner in the Partnership to Eliminate Child Abuse. The group was founded by the state’s two children’s hospitals and three medical schools, including Kosair Children’s Hospital, University of Louisville Pediatrics – Forensic Medicine, Kentucky Children’s Hospital, University of Kentucky – Department of Pediatrics and University of Pikeville – Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Rockcastle Regional Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Cindy Burton is spear-heading the efforts at the hospital and organized a project through Pinwheels for Prevention. The pinwheel is a new symbol for child abuse, neglect and prevention nationwide. The pinwheel represents Prevent Child Abuse America’s efforts to focus on community activities and public policies to make sure child abuse and neglect never occur. The goal was to plant a garden of pinwheels to raise awareness of the importance of child abuse prevention in our community.
Rockcastle Regional Hospital, Mt. Vernon Elementary School and Rockcastle County Middle School joined together and over $700 was collected to support child abuse prevention.
The efforts are in the initial stages in Rockcastle County. Any agency or individual wishing to collaborate to work on preventing child abuse and neglect and improving the lives’ of children, contact Cindy Burton at c.burton@rhrcc.org.
Relay for Life Returns to Rockcastle County
The annual Rockcastle County Relay for Life event is scheduled for Friday, May 18, 2012 at the Rockcastle Middle School track. Relay for Life is a fun-filled family event for the entire community – you don’t have to be a cancer survivor or Relay team member to participate. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to participate. The opening survivor ceremony begins at 7 p.m. Games, activities and entertainment begins at 7:30 p.m. This year’s carnival-themed event and will feature pony rides, classic carnival games and food. The live auction is at 8 p.m.
Cancer touches more than just the person diagnosed. It impacts everyone around them. That’s why the American Cancer Society strives to assist those fighting the disease from all angles: research, advocacy, education and patient support services. And the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life helps make this all possible. This is an opportunity for our community to unite and work toward a common goal – to fight against cancer and save lives. It is one small way that we can symbolize and support the struggles of cancer patients and their families.
Please join us at the 2012 Relay for Life to celebrate cancer survivors, remember those lost to cancer, and fight back against a disease that has touched us all.
3rd Annual Brodhead Homecoming Hustle during Memorial Weekend Festivities
Sign up today for the third annual Brodhead Homecoming Hustle 2-mile run/walk on Saturday, May 26 at 8:30 a.m. The race will being and end at Brodhead Elementary School on School Street.
The Hustle, sponsored by Rockcastle Regional Hospital, is part of the 3rd Annual Countywide Stride race series, designed to promote fitness throughout the county.
Those participants that complete 7 of the 12 races will receive a long sleeve dri-fit County-wide Stride t-shirt. Participants that complete 10 races will receive a t-shirt and $25 gift certificate for John’s Run Walk Shop. If you complete all 12 of the races this year you will receive a t-shirt, gift certificate and personalized commemorative plaque.
Pre-registration for the Hustle is $10 until May 24 and race day registration is $12. All participants get a gift, and age group winners receive trophies or medals. Everyone will get the benefit of exercise and a good time with neighbors and friends.
For more information, contact Arielle Reese at 256-7880or email her at a.reese@rhrcc.org. Any proceeds from the event will go to the Brodhead Homecoming Committee.
For more information about Rockcastle Regional Hospital community events, go to rockcastleregional.org/countywidestride.
By Cheryl Mullins, Occupational Therapy Director
April is National Occupational Therapy Month
As occupational therapy practitioners and speech and language pathologists, we spend our days analyzing activities and generating creative ways to make everyday tasks easier for our clients with cognitive, behavioral, and motor deficits, in order to promote greater independence. Many individuals with disabilities need support for transitioning, sequencing, memory, planning, motivating, deciding, choosing, processing, organizing, and communicating.
Developers of cellular phone- and personal digital assistant (PDA)-based applications (apps) are also working hard using their knowledge of computer programming to create an overabundance of smart technology programs aimed at making life easier for the general public. Combine the two worlds and you get promising new therapy options for the occupational and speech therapy practice.
Individuals with disabilities may not have been the population developers were originally targeting for applications. However, smart technology has been quickly adopted among many individuals with disabilities, their families, and service providers as an innovative solution to many everyday challenges.
The Occupational Therapy Department and Speech Department at Rockcastle Regional have embraced this technology as an addition to their many therapy tools.
The iPad has now become a Therapy Tool for us too!
• 5 year old Micah is learning to communicate with others, also with help of an iPad.
• 4 year old Owen is learning to write with the help of iPad.
The iPad is new to these children and the technology is exciting for them. It, however, is more than that. It’s a new high-tech therapy tool that is paying off quickly.
The iPad, iPod Touch, and other forms of tablets have opened a new chapter for children with disabilities.
There are many varieties of apps that assist children with and without disabilities. You can work on improving communication skills, social skills, writing skills, math skills, attention skills, visual motor skills and much more. They can meet the needs of so many different children.
Another exciting thing about tablets is that they are cheaper, smaller, and more portable than many other electronic devices.
Tablets are also very socially acceptable. Children can take them into the community and not cause as much attention as some larger speaking devices.
Also, using this technology we have found children have more capabilities than previous traditional methods of therapy and communication had revealed.
For a list of useful apps for children click here.
Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Center, UK HealthCare and Cumberland Security Bank are sponsoring Woodstock Cares for a Cure – Walk for Skin Cancer on Saturday, April 28 at the Woodstock Community Center in Pulaski County. Proceeds benefit The Hope Fund that supports cancer patients of the Markey Cancer Chemotherapy Clinic at Rockcastle Regional Hospital.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. and will feature a non-competitive walk, educational booths, speakers and a cancer support group. The event hopes to raise awareness about skin cancer and also honor all cancer survivors. All ages and fitness levels are invited to attend.
You must pre-register by Friday, April 6. The cost of the event is $10 ($5 for cancer survivor participants and $5 for kids 12 and under). This includes: a t-shirt, giveaways and door prizes! The event will be held rain or shine.
The proceeds benefit The Hope Fund that supports cancer patients of the Markey Cancer Chemotherapy Clinic at Rockcastle Regional Hospital.
For more information contact Jennifer Price at 606-271-2401 or Arielle Reese at 256-7880. Click here for more information.
March 18 - 24 is National Poison Prevention Week
More than 60,000 young children end up in emergency rooms each year because they got into medicines while their caregiver wasn’t looking. Always put every medicine and vitamin up and away every time you use it.
Here’s how to protect your child: Families take medications and vitamins to feel well and to stay well. But did you know that more than 60,000 young children end up in emergency rooms every year because they get into medicines when their parent or caregiver isn’t looking?
Any kind of medicine and vitamin – even one you buy without a prescription – can cause harm if taken in the wrong way or by the wrong person. All medicines and vitamins should always be kept up and away and out of your child’s reach and sight. Put medicines and vitamins up and away – out of reach and out of sight.
Children are curious and put all sorts of things in their mouths. Even if you turn your back for less than a minute, they can quickly get into things that could hurt them. Pick a storage place in your home that your child cannot reach or see. Different families will have different places. Walk around your house and decide on the safest place to keep your medicines and vitamins.
Put medicines and vitamins away every time. This includes medicines and vitamins you use every day. Never leave them out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child’s bedside, even if you have to give the medicine again in a few hours.
Hear the click to make sure the safety cap is locked. Always relock the cap on a medicine bottle. If the bottle has a locking cap that turns, twist it until you hear the click. Remember, even though many medicines have safety caps, children may be able to open them. Every medicine and vitamin must be stored up and away and out of children’s reach and sight.
Teach your children about medicine safety. Teach your children what medicine is and why you must be the one to give it to them. Never tell children medicine is candy to get them to take it, even if your child doesn’t like to take his or her medicine. Tell your guests about medicine safety. Ask houseguests and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicine in them up and away and out of sight when they are in your home.
Be prepared in case of an emergency. Call your poison control center at 800.222.1222 right away if you think your child might have gotten into a medicine or vitamin.
Program the Poison Control number into your home and cell phones so you will have it when you need it.
Source: PROTECT in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Rockcastle Regional Hospital joins nationwide effort to promote awareness
In an effort to raise awareness and encourage the engagement of patients, families, health care providers, and the public, Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Center announced today their participation in the 2012 Patient Safety Awareness Week campaign, Be Aware for Safe Care. Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 4-10, 2012, is an annual, NPSF-led education and awareness campaign for healthcare safety. Each year, healthcare organizations around the world take part in the event by prominently displaying the NPSF campaign logo and promotional materials within their organizations, creating awareness in the community and deploying NPSF educational resources to hospital staff.
This year’s theme: “Be Aware for Safe Care” focuses on the need for everyone to understand the importance of patient safety and to recognize the range of efforts being made to improve health safety in the US and worldwide.
Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Center will engage staff, patients and the community through educational and awareness-building activities specific to patient safety. The campaign seeks to make patients, providers, and the public aware of the ways they can participate in these efforts and partner to improve patient safety. While efforts of the past decade have brought improvements, recent studies indicate that much work remains to be done—and can be done most effectively through the involvement of all parties.
“Be Aware for Safe Care” emphasizes the fact that safety issues impact everyone. “The more we work together to promote patient safety, the more we all benefit from a safe healthcare system,” said Diane C. Pinakiewicz, MBA, president, National Patient Safety Foundation. NPSF encourages creative collaboration among provider groups, patient advocates, and other community organizations to help patients and consumers understand how they can participate to be part of the solution.
“A safe, healing, quality environment is a top priority for our organization,” said Rockcastle Regional Hospital President and CEO Stephen A. Estes. “We recognize the importance of safety for our patients, staff and the community during National Patient Safety Week and through out the year.”
For additional information on Patient Safety Awareness Week, please visit www.npsf.org.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Rockcastle Regional Hospital offers free colorectal cancer screenings
Among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer—cancer of the colon or rectum—is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Colorectal cancer also is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States.
The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with advancing age. More than 90% of cases occur in people aged 50 or older.
Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. However, many people who are at risk for the disease are not being screened according to national guidelines.
It is estimated that as many as 60% of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were screened routinely. In most cases, colorectal cancer develops from precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) in the colon or rectum. Screening tests can find precancerous polyps, so that they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening tests also can find colorectal cancer early, when treatment works best.
You should begin screening for colorectal cancer soon after turning 50, then continue getting screened at regular intervals. However, you may need to be tested earlier or more often than other people if:
• You or a close relative have had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer; or
• You have inflammatory bowel disease.
If you are aged 50 or older, or think you may be at increased risk for colorectal cancer, speak with your doctor about getting screened.
Several tests are available to screen for colorectal cancer. Some are used alone; others are used in combination with each other. Talk with your doctor about which test or tests are best for you. These screening tests are recommended by the USPSTF:
• Colonoscopy (every 10 years).
• High-sensitivity fecal occult blood test (FOBT) (every year).
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy (every 5 years).
Free FOBT kits will be available, courtesy of Rockcastle Regional Hospital, during March at the following locations: Brodhead Pharmacy, Hospital front lobby, Main Street Pharmacy, Mt. Vernon Drug, Rite Aid Pharmacy and Rockcastle Professional Pharmacy. Results will be mailed to participants. Contact Arielle Reese at 256-7880 for more information.
By Arielle Reese, Community Relations Director
Prevention and Wellness is at the forefront of the outreach initiatives at Rockcastle Regional Hospital and Respiratory Care Center. A new program aimed to stop the spread of germs started in January 2012. Rockcastle Regional has partnered with the courthouse and public library and installed hand sanitizer stations in these public locations.
In an effort to keep hands clean, especially during cold and flu season, three hand sanitizer stations have been installed at the courthouse and one has been installed at the library.
“The best thing people can do to prevent infections is to keep their hands clean,” said Infection Control and Patient Safety Coordinator Traci Bullens, RN. “Of course, soap and clean water should be used if hands are visibly soiled, but alcohol hand sanitizers can be used in most any other circumstance, especially when people are on the go or soap and water is unavailable.” According the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can reduce the number of germs on hands.
Rockcastle Regional hopes people will utilize the hand sanitizer while visiting these areas and help keep hands clean and germ-free.
By Cheryl Mullins, Occupational Therapy Director
As occupational therapy practitioners and speech and language pathologists, we spend our days analyzing activities and generating creative ways to make everyday tasks easier for our clients with cognitive, behavioral, and motor deficits, in order to promote greater independence. Many individuals with disabilities need support for transitioning, sequencing, memory, planning, motivating, deciding, choosing, processing, organizing, and communicating.
Developers of cellular phone- and personal digital assistant (PDA)-based applications (apps) are also working hard using their knowledge of computer programming to create an overabundance of smart technology programs aimed at making life easier for the general public. Combine the two worlds and you get promising new therapy options for the occupational and speech therapy practice.
Individuals with disabilities may not have been the population developers were originally targeting for applications. However, smart technology has been quickly adopted among many individuals with disabilities, their families, and service providers as an innovative solution to many everyday challenges.
The Occupational Therapy Department and Speech Department at Rockcastle Regional have embraced this technology as an addition to their many therapy tools.
The iPad has now become a Therapy Tool for us too!
• 5 year old Micah is learning to communicate with others, also with help of an iPad.
• 4 year old Owen is learning to write with the help of iPad.
The iPad is new to these children and the technology is exciting for them. It, however, is more than that. It’s a new high-tech therapy tool that is paying off quickly.
The iPad, iPod Touch, and other forms of tablets have opened a new chapter for children with disabilities.
There are many varieties of apps that assist children with and without disabilities. You can work on improving communication skills, social skills, writing skills, math skills, attention skills, visual motor skills and much more. They can meet the needs of so many different children.
Another exciting thing about tablets is that they are cheaper, smaller, and more portable than many other electronic devices.
Tablets are also very socially acceptable. Children can take them into the community and not cause as much attention as some larger speaking devices.
Also, using this technology we have found children have more capabilities than previous traditional methods of therapy and communication had revealed.
For a list of useful apps for children click here.
