Free "Family Day at the Carousel" promotes heart health - 02/02/10 >SALEM—The public is invited to free rides and a fun-filled educational health exhibition at Salem Riverfront Park on Saturday, Feb. 13, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. As part of Salem Cardiovascular Center's Heart Month events, "Family Day at the Carousel" provides an opportunity for kids of all ages and their families to enjoy free carousel rides and fun while learning about heart health and healthy living.
In addition to unlimited carousel rides, families can stroll through information booths and receive a free blood pressure check and cholesterol screening. Experts from Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital will provide tips on child health and wellness; share information on heart disease diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation; and discuss nutrition, diabetes, sleep health and more.
In addition to "Family Day at the Carousel," Heart Month activities throughout February include opportunities for free health screenings, heart healthy culinary events, and educational forums on diabetes, heart disease, and the latest advancements in treating cardiac diseases. For a full schedule of events, go to salemhospital.org/cardiac.
"Our first annual Family Day at the Carousel is one facet of our continued effort to educate and empower our community about heart-healthy living," says Lori James-Nielsen, RN, director of the Salem Cardiovascular Center for Salem Health. "We want to help the community make healthier lifestyle choices, become more informed about heart health, and encourage grandparents, parents and their children to take responsibility for their heart health."
Salem Health includes Salem Hospital, West Valley Hospital and other affiliated healthcare organizations offering quality care to people in and around Oregon's Willamette Valley. Salem Hospital ranked number one in Oregon for cardiac surgery four years in a row (2007-2010), and for overall cardiac services in 2009, by HealthGrades.®
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West Valley Hospital offers free health screenings and information on heart health - 01/29/10 >DALLAS—Learn about heart-healthy living on Feb. 10, from 2 to 4 p.m., at West Valley Hospital at its annual "Go Red in Dallas" event. Come by 525 SE Washington St. for free blood pressure checks, cholesterol screens, heart-health information, refreshments and more.
"We encourage our Polk County community to join us in celebrating Heart Month," says Diane Rocak, a West Valley Hospital occupational therapist. "By partnering with the Salem Cardiovascular Center, we are just one of several great events this month that help people learn more about their heart health."
At "Go Red in Dallas," attendees can talk with health specialists and learn about nutrition, diabetes, cardiac exercise, imaging, cardiac stress testing and more.
For a complete listing of Heart Month activities, go to salemhospital.org/cardiac. Heart Month events include opportunities for free health screenings, heart-healthy culinary events, a fun-filled and educational family day at Salem Riverfront Park, and educational forums on diabetes, heart disease, and the latest advancements in treating cardiac diseases.
West Valley Hospital, located at 525 SE Washington Street in Dallas, Oregon, is a critical-access hospital offering 24-hour emergency care, as well as inpatient and outpatient services to people in the Polk County area. A part of Salem Health, West Valley Hospital and its affiliates, Monmouth Medical Center and West Valley Physicians & Surgeons Clinic, partner with Salem Hospital for additional healthcare services.
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Help your heart by attending February Heart Month events - 01/29/10 >SALEM—To promote heart-healthy living, Salem Cardiovascular Services, a part of Salem Health, has planned several heart-related events in February. February Heart Month activities are open to the public and include free health screenings, healthy heart culinary programs, a fun-filled and educational family day at Salem Riverfront Park, and educational forums on diabetes, heart disease, and the latest cardiac treatment advancements.
"This year, we are providing our community with a myriad of events focused on heart health," says Lori James-Nielsen, RN, director of the Salem Cardiovascular Center for Salem Health. "Information and resources will be available throughout the month at various locations to promote heart health awareness and encourage individuals to take responsibility for their health."
HEART MONTH 2010 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
To pre-register for any of these events, go to salemhospital.org/chec or call the Community Health Education Center at 503-814-CHEC (2432). To print a complete calendar of Heart Month events, go to salemhospital.org/cardiac.
Friday, Feb. 5
9 a.m.–6 p.m. – The opening event of Heart Month is on National Wear Red Day. Join the fun and wear something red while receiving free blood pressure and cholesterol health screenings at the Community Health Education Center (CHEC), Building D, on the Salem Hospital campus.
6–8 p.m. – Salem Health Executive Chef Sean Roe and Weight Watchers expert Jena Hedding host a class on "The Joy of Healthy Cooking." The course will be held at the CHEC for $35. Pre-registration is required.
Wednesday, Feb. 10
2–4 p.m. – Salem Health's West Valley Hospital in Dallas is providing an afternoon of free blood pressure checks, cholesterol screenings, informational displays and heart-healthy refreshments. 525 SE Washington St., Dallas.
Thursday, Feb. 11
6:30–7:30 p.m. – Certified Diabetes Educator Eileen Schramm, RN, will present on diabetes and heart disease. This free Healthy Hearts Educational Support Group will take place at the CHEC in Classroom 1. Pre-registration is required.
Saturday, Feb. 13
10 a.m.–2 p.m. – Join the fun at Salem Riverfront Park for this free "Family Day at the Carousel." Activities include free rides, blood pressure checks, cholesterol screenings and multiple information booths. Get tips on child health and wellness; understand heart disease diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation; and learn about diabetes…all in a fun family event!
Wednesday, Feb. 17
6–8 p.m. – Learn how to prepare and create easy, heart-smart culinary delights in this two-hour cooking class at the CHEC. Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator Rachael Beyer discusses ingredient and tool tips for easy recipe preparation. The class is $20. Pre-registration is required.
Thursday, Feb. 18
6–7 p.m. – Attend a free, educational heart-health fair at Salem Hospital, Building B. Experts from the Salem Cardiovascular Center will be available to discuss heart related topics such as child health and wellness, heart disease diagnosis, heart treatments, cardiac rehabilitation, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, sleep disorders, abnormal heart rhythms and more.
7–8:30 p.m. – Cardiac surgeon, Kai Engstad, MD, speaks on "A Cardiac Surgeon's Musings on the Latest Advancements in Treating Heart Disease." Learn about the latest technologies and treatments for people suffering from heart disease. Dr. Engstad's presentation, and a question-and-answer session, will be held in the Salem Hospital Wedel Auditorium, Building B. Pre-registration is required for this free presentation. Parking is available in the parking structure or under Building A.
Wednesday, Feb. 24
6–8 p.m. – Don't miss this opportunity to learn about heart-healthy cooking while enjoying the meal that Cardiac Surgeon Tom Winkler, MD, and Ken Kudla, one of his former patients, prepare for your educational and culinary enjoyment. The class is $20 at the CHEC. Pre-registration is required.
Salem Health includes Salem Hospital, West Valley Hospital, the Community Health Education Center and other affiliated healthcare organizations offering quality care to people in and around Oregon's Willamette Valley. Salem Hospital ranked number one in Oregon for cardiac surgery four years in a row (2007-2010), and for overall cardiac services in 2009, by HealthGrades.®
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CHEC to offer heart healthy cooking class - 01/29/10 >Salem — The Community Health Education Center (CHEC) at Salem Hospital will be holding a cooking class titled "The joy of healthy cooking" on Friday Feb. 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. The class will be held in The Gehlar Wellness Kitchen at the Community Health Education Center located on the first floor of Building D on the Salem Hospital campus, 939 Oak Street SE.
Part of the CHEC's Friday night out series of cooking classes, "The joy of healthy cooking" will be taught by Jena Hedding of Weight Watchers and Salem Health Executive Chef Sean Roe and will focus on heart healthy recipes. The cost of the class is $35 and includes dinner. Pre-registration is required and can be done by visiting salemhealth.org/chec or calling 503-814-CHEC (2432).
The Community Health Education Center and Salem Hospital are each a part of Salem Health, which includes West Valley Hospital and other affiliated healthcare organizations offering quality care to people in and around Oregon's Willamette Valley.
Salem Health and Linfield College team up to address health care disparities - 01/20/10 >Photo opp: Take a photo of an Ayudando Podemos graduate nurse at work at Salem Hospital
SALEM, Ore. — With the rising cost of health care commanding national attention, health care disparities among diverse populations are often overlooked. But in Salem, Linfield College and Salem Health are working together to reduce some disparities — by increasing the number of Latino registered nurses available to care for the mid-Willamette Valley's growing population.
Latinos make up more than 10 percent of the population in Oregon, but Latino registered nurses are only 1 percent of the health care workforce. The chance of a Latino patient being cared for by a nurse native to the patient's culture is even lower in Marion County, where Latinos are 22 percent of the population.
"When people seek health care, they are seeking comfort," says Laurie Barr, human resources director for Salem Health. "When you are sick, you are very vulnerable. It can be terrifying if you don't understand the language. When we are in a different country and don't speak the language, it's frustrating just ordering items from a menu. In the hospital, families are talking about life and death issues."
A 323 percent increase in Latino nursing students
To increase the number of Latino registered nurses, Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing on Linfield's Portland campus began an innovative initiative in 2004, Ayudando Podemos ("Helping each other, we can do it").
"We saw an increase in Latino enrollment from 2.6 percent in the 2002–03 academic year to 8.4 percent last year," says Peggy Wros, associate dean for the nursing school. "The program provides a model for colleges across the country and addresses the underrepresentation of nurses in Oregon's workforce. Ayudando Podemos recruits Latino high school students from rural and urban high schools and colleges in Oregon, helping them obtain Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing."
Orientation sessions are given to families, and students are provided with scholarships, support groups, advising, bilingual support, and tutoring for courses and the licensing exam for nurses. Many program graduates mentor other aspiring Latino students.
"Many of our parents didn't go to college," says Linfield nursing graduate Judy Ulibarri, who now mentors other nursing students. "When you're talking about students who don't come from that background, it's a huge leap.
"Nursing school is the most intense thing I've ever done, and I sometimes wondered if it was a bridge or a cliff," Ulibarri says, "but the professors and staff were encouraging and supportive. I really appreciate the experience they gave me."
The program has earned national recognition for Linfield, receiving one of three honorary mentions in the U.S. from Excelencia in Education, a national organization accelerating Latino success in higher education.
More Latino nurses at Salem Hospital
Linfield's success also means success for Salem Health's drive to improve culturally sensitive care for patients.
"We are increasing the diversity of our applicant pool, and Linfield College is one of the major programs on our radar screen," says Barr, who hired Latino Linfield grads to fill a quarter of Salem Hospital's 2009 summer intern slots. Many graduates were recruited through the Ayudando Podemos program.
Salem Health, Salem Hospital's parent organization, works to provide an inclusive environment, with multicultural campus signs, patient education materials in Spanish and Russian, and interpretation services available in dozens of languages.
In the past six months, under the leadership of new Diversity Manager Ed Wilgus, Salem Health has redoubled efforts to hire diverse candidates, provide cultural training for existing employees, engage in targeted community outreach, and increase awareness of diverse cultural traditions and medical beliefs. Salem Health will soon hold a certified nurse assistant class specifically for bilingual and bicultural candidates.
"When you look at the diversity of Marion County, you see more diversity than in many places in California," says Wilgus. "Forty-six percent of children in the Salem-Keizer School District come from non-European backgrounds. Thirty-six languages are spoken in the community, with Spanish being the most prevalent after English."
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Salem Health seeks advice from area physicians - 01/19/10 >Salem — Salem Health is asking mid-Willamette Valley physicians to provide feedback on how health care providers can collaborate better to improve services to area residents.
A short 10-minute survey is available for physicians online and must be completed by Tuesday, Jan. 26. The survey has been distributed by Marion Polk Medical Society and sent directly to physicians. Salem Health will donate $5 to the Marion Polk County Medical Society's Project Access/MedAssist for each completed survey and donate an additional $100 for every 100 surveys returned. Area physicians who need the survey's Web address can call Salem Health Community Relations at 503-561-5269.
Salem Health has embarked on a strategic planning process — Salem Health 2020 — that will guide the organization over the next ten years. The region's largest health-care provider, Salem Health recently completed a community outreach effort in Salem, Keizer, Dallas, Independence and Monmouth, receiving ideas from more than 1,000 residents. The top five actions requested by community members require close collaboration between hospitals, physicians, and other health-care providers.
Salem Health, the parent organization of Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital, is a not-for-profit health system created by and for the people of the mid-Willamette Valley and governed by a local Board of Trustees. Salem Health serves more than 300,000 people in the Mid-Willamette region as an essential health-care resource. Services include highly rated acute hospital services such as cardiac and emergency care (the busiest emergency room in Oregon in 2008), state-of-the-art cancer services, specialty care for high-risk pregnancies, and programs that keep people healthy.
Top five actions community members requested from Salem Health
Community members ranked the following as the five top actions they wanted Salem Health to pursue:
1. Achieve the best healthcare results for each treatment / service offered.
2. Hospital, physicians, other medical providers work together to coordinate patient care.
3. Provide a "continuum of care" that assures no gaps in patient services.
4. Help patients navigate medical services and make their own decisions.
5. Support patients with chronic disease to stay healthier and out of hospitals.
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Free course offered for people caring for disabled loved ones - 01/15/10 >Salem — Beginning Jan. 21, a series of classes titled "Powerful Tools for Caregivers" will be held Thursdays from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Community Health Education Center (CHEC) on the Salem Hospital campus.
The six-week educational program is for family and friends caring for older adults who have Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, disabilities caused by stroke, or similar long-term conditions. The class provides caregivers with the skills and confidence to better care for themselves while caring for others. Class members receive The Caregiver Helpbook, which is a great resource to help caregivers seek and find solutions for their situation.
"Powerful Tools for Caregivers" is free but a $25 donation is recommended to cover the cost of the book. Space is limited and advance registration is required. To reserve a spot, please visit http://salemhealth.org/chec or call 503-814-CHEC (2432). The CHEC is located on the first floor of Building D on the Salem Hospital campus, 939 Oak St. SE.
The Community Health Education Center and Salem Hospital are each a part of Salem Health, which includes West Valley Hospital and other affiliated healthcare organizations offering quality care to people in and around Oregon's Willamette Valley.
CHEC giving away healthy resolutions gift basket - 01/12/10 >Salem — For many, the New Year brings a number of new resolutions triggered by a desire to get healthy. To help kickstart your New Year's resolutions, Community Health Education Center is giving away a healthy resolutions gift basket valued at $150. The basket includes a gift certificate for a cooking class of your choice, exercise ball, jump rope, resistance tube, complete food and nutrition guide, pedometer and more.
To enter the drawing for the basket, fill out an entry blank at the CHEC, located on the first floor of Building D on the Salem Hospital campus, 939 Oak St. SE, anytime before Feb. 1. No purchase is necessary. The drawing will take place on Feb. 2.
If this is the year that you vow to eat healthier, quit smoking again, or stick with your exercise plan, CHEC can help with information, classes and support groups to keep you on track. For a complete listing of classes and events and to register, visit http://salemhealth.org/chec or call 503-814-CHEC (2432). The CHEC is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Community Health Education Center and Salem Hospital are each a part of Salem Health, which includes West Valley Hospital and other affiliated healthcare organizations offering quality care to people in and around Oregon's Willamette Valley.
CHEC to offer healthy back class Jan. 15 - 01/12/10 >Salem — Good posture, body mechanics and exercise are essential to maintaining a healthy back. The Community Health Education Center (CHEC) at Salem Hospital will be offering a healthy back class to help you learn how to keep your back strong and decrease the risk of injury. The class will include easy-to-follow strength and flexibility exercises to help you continue doing the activities you enjoy.
Offered in conjunction with the Salem Spine Center and taught by an experienced physical therapist, this class will be held on Friday, Jan. 15, from 1 to 2 p.m., in the CHEC located on the first floor of Building D on the Salem Hospital campus, 939 Oak St. SE.
The cost of the class is $5 and advance registration is required. To register, please visit http://salemhealth.org/chec or call 503-814-CHEC (2432). Parking is available in the visitor parking garage on the corner of Mission Street Southeast and Capitol Street Southeast.
The Community Health Education Center and Salem Hospital are each a part of Salem Health, which includes West Valley Hospital and other affiliated healthcare organizations offering quality care to people in and around Oregon's Willamette Valley.
