Join CHCS at the Onaga Senior Center

How do you find healthcare services in your community when a loved one needs recovery and rehabilitation? What kind of services are available? How can you best prepare for your future needs? How can you safeguard your health and quality of life?

Community HealthCare System will help answer these questions in a new event series at the Onaga Senior Center. All are welcome to join for CHCS Connect sessions each month. The presentations will start at 11:30 a.m. The Senior Center serves lunch starting at 12:00 noon. If you would like to each lunch at the Senior Center, please call ahead at (785) 889-4402. If calling the same day as the presentation, call before 9:30 a.m. July dates and topics are as follows.

July 7: CHCS Swing Bed Program and Community HomeHealth services presented by Deanne Tanking, RN case manager and skilled rehab coordinator and JoAnn Mott, Community HomeHealth manager. The Swing Bed Program provides rehabilitation and recovery services for patients who need time to rebuild strength following illness or surgery. The goal is to help patients return home and live independently or with the help of community resources. Community HomeHealth provides intermittent, part-time care in a patient’s home to help patients meet goals and maintain the maximum level of independence. Our presenters will talk about how to connect with CHCS to set up care and how our staff can help patients navigate insurance and other barriers.
July 14: Advance directives and community resources presented by Angie Sauvage, Licensed Master Social Worker. Advance directives are written statements of a person’s wishes regarding medical treatment. A living will or power of attorney can help ensure that your wishes are carried out if you are unable to communicate them. Angie will also discuss other community resources such as Meals on Wheels and transportation assistance. Taking advantage of these resources can make life easier!

Future topics will include fall prevention, medication lists and safe disposal of excess medications, and more. Mindy Olberding, chief nursing officer at Community HealthCare System, said she looks forward to the opportunity for staff to speak directly to community members and answer their questions.

“We know that navigating the healthcare system can seem difficult, but we can help provide choices and make decisions easier. Our nurses, social workers, physical therapists, and other staff have a wealth of knowledge to share that can help enrich the health and lives of the people we serve in northeast Kansas,” Olberding said.

The Onaga Senior Center is at 200 Bypass Rd. in Onaga. Reservations are not required to attend. Please call the Senior Center at 785-889-4402 by 9:30 a.m. the day of the presentation if you would like lunch.