Health And Fitness
Virginia Gay Hospital Nursing & Rehab Visitation Plan
Virginia Gay Hospital N&RVisitation Plan After months of being apart, CMS and the CDC have [upd]d the visitation guidelines for Long Term Care. Here is our plan to transition back toward normal while being cognizant that increasing visits increases the risk of passing COVID 19 infections to staff and residents: Visitation will be scheduled through our Activities Department.
Expanded Vaccine Qualifications
Effective Monday, March 8, Iowa vaccine providers can officially begin vaccinating additional priority populations. Individuals 64 years of age and younger with medical conditions that are or may be an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are now eligible. Benton County Public Health is working through the following tiers [st] by Iowa Department of Public Health.
VGH and Vinton Community Blood Drive March 16
How safe is the blood supply?Each year, LifeServe Blood Center performs more than one million tests on blood products collected from volunteer blood donors. Each individual blood unit is put through fifteen tests to ensure its safety! These tests are performed in a state-of-the-art laboratory to make sure every blood product is safe to transfuse to a hospital patient. March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month
The Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC), in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Public Health and the National Council on Problem Gambling, dedicates March to helping people “have the conversation” about problem gambling. Approximately 2 million (1%) of U.S. adults are estimated to meet the criteria for Gambling Disorder and another 4-6 million (2-3%) would be considered problem gamblers; yet for many, gambling remains a hidden addiction.
Beware of COVID-19 Scams now in the Area
Benton County Public Health and Virginia Gay Hospital have been alerted to several Covid-19 vaccine scams in our area. We would like to share the following tips to help keep you and your family safe from scammers: Don’t respond to texts, emails, or calls about checks from the government.Ignore offers for vaccinations and miracle treatments or cures.
Blood Donors Needed Through Winter Weather
Winter weather always impacts the blood supply. When snow falls and temps drop, blood drives and blood donations get canceled. LifeServe Blood Center needs to boost the blood supply at upcoming blood drives!To help ensure the safety of blood donors and team members during this COVID-19 pandemic, LifeServe is enforcing several precautionary measures.
PUBLIC URGED TO DONATE BLOOD TO SAVE LIVES, STORMS AFFECT SUPPLY
Severe winter weather continues to wreak havoc across multiple regions in the United States resulting in numerous blood drive cancellations and significantly decreased blood product collections. LifeServe Blood Center, along with the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) Interorganizational Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism, is urging eligible blood donors in parts of the United States unaffected by the storm to schedule blood donation appointments as soon as possible and to keep existing appointments.
COVID-19 cases in Iowa long-term care facilities on the decline as spread slows
"Very promising signs," says Iowa Health Care Association President & CEOFor those who have been longing to visit a loved one in a nursing home, there is encouraging news this week as new data shows that county positivity rates and COVID-19 cases in long-term care facilities are on the decline. This is important because nursing home visitation rules are based on county COVID-19 positivity rates.
February 2021 WOW newsletter
Attached you will find your edition of the February 2021 Words on Wellness newsletter.This edition features:· Three Reasons to Have Soup for Supper!· Recipe for Pasta Fagioli Soup· Storing Soup Safely· Apps to Get You Back on Your
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period Continues Through March 31
Iowans currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan have options to switch through the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment period that continues through March 31.“During this open enrollment period Iowans can switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan with or without drug coverage. They can even go back to Original Medicare and, if needed, join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan,” Kristin Griffith, Director of the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) said.