Gratitude with Humor

Gratitude is a serious thing. It can restore us or its absence can break us. When we learn to laugh, we learn to live. In living, we discover the joys of being alive. Join Rev. David Crow, pastor of the Grinnell United Methodist Church, for the Grinnell Regional Medical Center Senior Education Program. Crow will present on gratitude with humor on Monday, Nov. 14.

He explains that we can take life seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. Gratitude is the way to embrace the fullness of our lives. This gratitude is a serious thing but it is far from somber. Come and explore this wonderful part of being human.

Crow received a BS from Central College in 1975 and graduated from the Perkins School of Theology with a master in theology degree in 1979.  He has experience in clown ministry and believes that humor is both a gift and essential to healthy living.

This program is free and open to the public. It will be held at 10 a.m. in the Drake Community Library, with refreshments beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Parking is available at the Drake Community Library, along Park Street, on Fifth Avenue, and in the First Presbyterian Church parking lot. Seniors needing transportation may call GRMC Communications and Development at 641-236-2593 by the Thursday before the program.

GRMC Auxiliary Angel Tree

The Grinnell Regional Medical Center Auxiliary will again adorn its tree in the medical center with angels for the upcoming holiday season. This project is a way to honor or remember loved ones through the purchase of an angel ornament for the tree. The GRMC Auxiliary will begin selling the ornaments on Thursday, Nov. 10, in The Glass Gift Box at GRMC, and will be available while supplies last.

This year’s angel ornament is a combination of clear and gold acrylic material with an LED light-up feature, available for $10 each. After Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season, angel ornaments remain on a tree in the admissions department of the hospital until Friday, Dec. 16, when the ornaments may be picked up and taken home by the person who purchased the ornament or given to the honoree to decorate their personal tree at home. The tree will remain on display until after Sunday, Dec. 25.

Funds raised will go toward the GRMC Auxiliary’s $150,000 pledge to the hospital’s Moving at the Speed of Life comprehensive campaign, with $100,000 committed to the GRMC Auxiliary Chemotherapy and Infusion Suite.

To purchase an angel and support the work of the GRMC Auxiliary, stop by the GRMC Auxiliary’s gift shop, The Glass Gift Box. For more information, contact the GRMC Auxiliary Gift Shop at 641-236-2522.

New Physician at GRMC Emergency Department

Stephanie R. Koos, DO, family and emergency medicine physician, began practicing part time at the Grinnell Regional Medical Center emergency department on September 1, 2016. Koos joined Patrick Cogley, MD; Clayton Francis, MD; and Stephen Ellestad, MD.

“Dr. Koos is a wealth of knowledge,” Francis says. “Her enthusiasm for excellence and the variety of her experience make her a welcome and necessary addition to the emergency team.”

Koos completed her residency at Siouxland Medical Education Foundation in Sioux City. She earned her medical degree from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Prior to entering medical school, Koos had earned a BS in microbiology from the University of Iowa. She is board certified in family medicine.

“I find that people often come to the emergency room when they feel like they have no place else to go,” Koos says. “I am trained in family medicine, so I try to go beyond just emergency care to teach people on what they can do to improve their health. Just a little extra effort can go a long way with someone who may not see a doctor often.”

Koos has been providing care in emergency medicine since 2012 at Waverly Health Center. She spent two years at Rohlf Memorial Clinic, where she practiced family medicine with obstetrics. Koos also served as an urgent care physician for two years at Family Health Care of Siouxland.

“I worked at GRMC in the past through a staffing agency and I came to love the emergency room staff,” Koos says. “Everyone is so friendly and welcoming, and everyone works together as a team. It’s really encouraging to see emergency staff have such great comradery.”

Koos, along with her husband, Dan, and their four children, Quinton, Owen, Harper, and Nora, recently moved to the Ankeny area to be closer to family. The Koos family is expecting another baby girl in October. When she’s not at GRMC, Koos enjoys running, biking, and being outdoors, as well as reading, baking, and crafting. Most of all, she likes to spend time with her family. However, Koos is excited to get to know the people of Grinnell and explore the “wonderful relationship that the city of Grinnell and its people have with the hospital.”

Please call 641-236-2380 for more information.

GRMC Launches Annual Fund Drive

It’s all about the patients at Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

“The patients are the heart and soul of the medical center,” says Sally Lang, chair of the GRMC foundation board. “Being able to meet their healthcare needs is of the utmost importance. We wouldn’t be able to do that without philanthropic contributions from the communities we serve.” October heralds in the beginning of the medical center’s annual effort to raise funds to support its ongoing programs. Every year, GRMC’s annual fund works to establish strong partnerships with community members, businesses, patients, and families.

“As a nonprofit organization, GRMC uses annual fund donations to make important investments in technology, offset the rising costs of healthcare, and to increase access to medical care for those who need it,” Lang says.   

The medical center is frequently recognized for its achievements in providing exceptional patient care. This spring, GRMC received an “A” quality safety rating from the Leapfrog Group®, a national patient safety initiative comprised of employers and other large consumers of healthcare. The name, Leapfrog Group, sets the intent that it will help hospitals show “leaps of improvement.” Each year, the hospital completes a voluntary safety survey, providing statistics on patient safety and hospital performance. The safest hospitals – those who score at least .6 standard deviations above the mean – are given an A rating, which less than a third of all hospitals that complete the survey receive.

 In addition to GRMC’s achievements in safety, it has also been recognized for its accomplishments in quality of care. For example, in 2015, the Kintzinger Women’s Health Center earned the Blue Distinction® Center+ designation for delivering quality, affordable maternity care as part of the Blue Distinction for Specialty Care program from Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Blue Distinction Centers+ are hospitals shown to deliver quality specialty care based on objective, transparent measures for patient safety and health outcomes.

Donations to GRMC can be given as “unrestricted,” meaning the organization can determine the greatest need at a given time. Donors can also designate a gift to a specific service, department, or program at GRMC.         

“Some of the new projects to support this year are the installation of energy efficient windows in patient rooms and an innovative telemedicine project,” says Denise Lamphier, GRMC director of communications and development.

Several projects receive support from donations to the annual fund. Projects include underwriting trainings for clinical staff, the Grinnell Regional Community Care Clinic, and distributing bike helmets to all area third graders. Contributions also go to support local healthcare needs, such as to helping those who are uninsured or underinsured and to fund health services like Grinnell Regional Hospice, Grinnell Regional Home Care, and Grinnell Regional Public Health. Donations also offset the costs of programs like the Babies Room, the Loan Closet, and the Senior Education Program.

“Please join me in supporting GRMC’s annual fund drive to help ensure compassionate care for everyone locally, regardless of their ability to pay,” Lang says.

Donations may be sent to GRMC Annual Fund, 210 4th Ave., Grinnell, IA 50112. Or, go online to http://www.grmc.us/donate/annual-fund-drive . For additional information about supporting GRMC, contact Denise Lamphier at 641-236-2589 or dlamphier@grmc.us. 

Preparing Students Today for Their Tomorrows

Education and educating our young people will determine much of the future. Janet Stutz, EdD, will share her plans to move the Grinnell Newburg Community School District into the future, at the Oct. 17 Senior Education Program, hosted by Grinnell Regional Medical Center. She will unveil district plans so far as well as gather feedback from community members during program about the future of the district.

Stutz became the new superintendent for the Grinnell-Newburg Community School District in July. She has served as a teacher, athletic director, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent for the last 30 years in Ill. She is married and has two grown children. She is married to Kevin, who is a retired LT. from Kane County Sheriff's Police. 

This program is free and open to the public. It will be held at 10 a.m. in the Drake Community Library, with refreshments beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Parking is available at the Drake Community Library, along Park Street, on Fifth Avenue, and in the First Presbyterian Church parking lot. Seniors needing transportation may call GRMC Communications and Development at 641-236-2593 by the Thursday before the program.

How to Grow Old Gracefully

The recipe for aging well is a blend of many factors. Margaret Christenson, a retired RN with an EdD from Oklahoma State University, will address this topic on Monday, Oct. 10, during the Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Senior Education Program. Christensen’s presentation focuses about what we can and cannot control that affects how we age.  She will review the role of genetics, environment, and life style.

Christensen, a native of Fonda, Iowa, taught Health Services Administration for about 20 years at Ohio University. She is also certified as a dementia practitioner helping families and caregivers understand and cope with dementia issues. Currently she is serving as office manager at her niece’s new geriatric clinic, Renfrow Senior Care, PC.  

This program is free and open to the public. It will be held at 10 a.m. in the Drake Community Library, with refreshments beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Parking is available at the Drake Community Library, along Park Street, on Fifth Avenue, and in the First Presbyterian Church parking lot. Seniors needing transportation may call GRMC Communications and Development at 641-236-2593 by the Thursday before the program.

SE*ED: Don’t Get Scammed

Imagine you get an email saying that a Nigerian Prince needs your help. He’s transferring money out of Nigeria and needs access to someone’s bank account to help store the funds. Whatever you do, don’t agree! It’s a scam. Scams against seniors are increasingly common, and are being called “the crime of the twenty-first century.” Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Senior Education Program will be presenting on crime targeting seniors and how to avoid it, on Monday, Oct. 3.

Sergeant Chris Wray will be presenting on various kinds of scams and tips on how to avoid them. He will share a checklist regarding likely scams. A Grinnell native, Wray has been a sergeant with the Grinnell police department for 15 years, and in law enforcement for 28.

How do you keep this from happening to you? There are a variety of ways. The most important is to never give anyone your bank information, social security number, or Medicare information without being sure that they are who they say that are, and that it’s necessary to give such information to them. Be suspicious of total strangers offering large sums of money or any official mailing that you are not anticipating. Remember: anything that sounds too good to be true probably is.

This program is free and open to the public. It will be held at 10 a.m. in the Drake Community Library, with refreshments beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Parking is available at the Drake Community Library, along Park Street, on Fifth Avenue, and in the First Presbyterian Church parking lot. Seniors needing transportation may call GRMC Communications and Development at 641-236-2593 by the Thursday before the program.