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Here are a selection of health-related news items from this week’s paper edition, and possibly a few news briefs that didn’t make it in the paper.
People needed for Alzheimer’s research
The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute and the Department of Geriatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School have partnered with Franciscan Skemp Healthcare’s Department of Geriatrics to broaden Alzheimer’s disease research.
Franciscan Skemp is recruiting for the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention. Recruitment for two groups of people is being accepted:
Group one includes people aged 40 to 65 who have/had a parent with Alzheimer’s disease. The parent’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease must be reviewed and confirmed before eligibility can be confirmed.
Group two includes people between the ages of 40 and 65 who have both a mother who survived to the age of 75 or greater without evidence of dementia, and a father who survived to the age of 70 or greater without evidence of dementia.
Adult children of people with Alzheimer’s disease and control participants who enroll in the registry will undergo a baseline evaluation to include demographic, lifestyle and health data as well as neuropsychological and laboratory testing.
Information obtained from participants in the study will then be used to identify people for appropriate research projects designed to better understand the causes of Alzheimer’s disease and delay or prevent its onset. Participation is entirely voluntary.
For those who would like to learn more about the registry and possible participation, contact Sharon Schulz at (608) 392-9505 or send a letter to Sharon Schulz, WRAP Study Coordinator, Franciscan Skemp Department of Geriatrics, 700 West Ave. S., La Crosse, WI 54601. More information also is available by visiting www.franciscanskemp.org and selecting classes and events.
Program to focus on yoga for the aging
The Center for Health and Healing at the Franciscan Skemp Onalaska clinic will continue its holistic health program with a talk titled “Benefits of Yoga for the Aging Body” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5.
Emily Walburn, yoga instructor and massage therapist, will present the program, which will be held at the lower level of the clinic at 191 Theater Road. The program is free and open to all.
Free seminar to cover aging effects on eyes
Dr. Robert J. Freedland, an ophthalmologist at Franciscan Skemp, will present a seminar on “The Aging Eye” on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
This seminar, part of the Successful Aging Program at Franciscan Skemp, will be in Marycrest Auditorium on the second floor of the St. Francis Building, 700 West Ave. S., La Crosse. Free refreshments are provided from 2 to 2:30 p.m. “The Aging Eye” will begin at 2:30 p.m. and last until 3:30 p.m., with a half-hour to follow for questions.
The free event is open to all. For more information, call Elder Services at 392-9505.
Acupuncurist to talk about fibromyalgia
Laxmansingh Rajput, an acupuncturist at Franciscan Skemp’s Center for Health and Healing in Onalaska, will discuss the benefits of acupuncture and other individualized treatment plans for dealing with fibromyalgia.
The free presentation begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in the lower level of the Onalaska clinic, 191 Theater Road. To register, call 392-9717.
Pre-diabetes talk planned at clinic
A free presentation on pre-diabetes will be presented by Franciscan Skemp certified diabetes educator Jacqueline Andrews, RN.
The presentation will be offered Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 9 to 10 a.m. at Franciscan Skemp’s La Crosse Campus St. Francis Building, Marycrest Auditorium (second floor), 700 West Ave. S.
There is no charge for this presentation, but seating is limited. Register at least a week prior to presentation by calling (608) 392-7824 or logging on to www.franciscanskemp.org.
Approximately 20 million Americans have diabetes, but nearly one-third are unaware that they have the disease. An additional 41 million Americans have pre-diabetes, a condition that occurs when a person’s blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Having pre-diabetes means a person is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Individuals may delay or prevent this through healthy lifestyle changes.
Clinic plans open house, phone-a-thon
To mark American Heart Month, Franciscan Skemp Healthcare will host a phone-a-thon, where the public can call and speak directly with Franciscan Skemp providers about their questions and concerns related to heart health.
The HealthLink phone-a-thon will take place Monday, Feb. 9, from 5 to 10:30 p.m. The toll-free number to call for the HealthLink Hotline is 877-392-3695. Physicians, associate providers, nurses and other medical experts will be available to answer the public’s questions.
The public is also invited to “Ask the Experts” at an open house from 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Marycrest Auditorium on Franciscan Skemp’s La Crosse Campus, 700 West Ave. S. Heart healthy refreshments will be available.
Organ donation on the rise in state
In 2008, more people than ever in Wisconsin made the decision to donate their organs, helping the UW Health Organ Procurement Organization reach a new milestone: 137 organ donors.
On average, the OPO served 11 donors and their families each month.
According to Jill Ellefson, executive director at the UW Health OPO, dedication to excellence in patient care, non-stop teamwork and a passion for organ donation are key to successfully managing so many donors.
“Our donor families, the network of partner hospitals, our volunteers across the state, the OPO staff ... everyone involved is vital to the outcome,” said Ellefson.
From awareness and education about donation — when people put their dot on their driver’s license — to procurement and placement of the organs, each step is a well-orchestrated process.
With more than 100,000 people on the national wait list for organ transplants — more than 1,400 in Wisconsin alone — the need is great. The UW Health OPO works around the clock to educate and assist hospital staff members, serve donors and families and provide organs to those at the top of the wait list.
“Public education is vital,” says Trey Schwab, UW Health OPO outreach coordinator. “The more people know about donation — the facts and the lives that are saved — the more they want to share the information.”
According to data collected by the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles, more than 100,000 new people added a donor dot to their license or state ID in 2008. More than 52 percent of the state population has made this designation.
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