Avera St. Luke's News
Find information here about Avera St. Luke's monthly classes and meetings in Aberdeen, SD, and in area towns we serve, as well as the latest wellness programs, screenings, educational seminars, news and other programs designed to help you “to be well." Go to Classes & Events for more details on all our classes.
Avera St. Luke’s awards medical school scholarships
Avera St. Luke’s has awarded scholarships to attend medical school to Laura Suurmeyer and Elycia Matushin, both of Aberdeen . Both are students at Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. Suurmeyer is part of the Class of 2011, and Matushin is part of the Class of 2012.
Seventeen scholarships have been awarded to medical students through this program implemented last year at Avera. Each $12,000 scholarship is given to a deserving first- or second-year medical student. Avera believes in the quality of education received at USD and the education of the region’s future physicians. By providing these scholarships, Avera is helping students achieve their goal of being physicians and ensuring a vibrant health care work force for the region for years to come.
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Introduction to Weight Management for Adults
Weight loss can be a lifelong struggle for many of us. Making decisions about the foods we eat and the amount of activity we do are some of the most important decisions for our health and well-being.
A one-time, two-hour class called "Introduction to Weight Management for Adults" is taught by a registered dietitian on the first Tuesday of each month, from 2 to 4 p.m., at Avera St. Luke's Midland Campus, 1400 15th Ave. NW. Cost is $30; preregistration is required by calling Centralized Scheduling at (605) 622-5556.
This class will provide important information and current recommendations to help you lose weight and change your lifestyle for weight control. A referral by your physician is not needed to attend.
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‘Compassionate Parents’ support group
Compassionate Parents, a support group for parents who have experienced the death of a child, meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in Aberdeen at Avera St. Luke’s Education Center, 709 Sixth Ave. S.E. (Note: The November meeting will be held on the third Wednesday, Nov. 19, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.)
The support group offers friendship and understanding, promotes positive resolution of grief experiences, and fosters physical and emotional health after the death of a child. Parents, grandparents, family members and friends are invited to attend and learn ways to cope with feelings associated with their loss.
For more information, call Marge Holland, RN, or Judy V. Toennies, RN, at (605) 622-5552 or contact Avera St. Luke’s Education Department at (605) 622-5588.
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Free immunization clinic changes schedule
The free Childhood Immunization Clinic sponsored by Avera St. Luke’s and the Childhood Immunization Coalition will no longer be held on the third Saturday of each month at Avera St. Luke’s Education Center.
There will be special free clinics offered periodically in the future. Be watching for announcements about when these immunization clinics will be held. For more information, call Avera St. Luke’s Pediatric Unit at (605) 622-5551.
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Health Care Provider CPR classes
Avera St. Luke's offers Health Care Provider CPR classes for people who work in the health care field. The classes, which feature the American Heart Association standards, are offered the third Wednesday of each month in Aberdeen at Avera St. Luke's Education Center, 709 Sixth Ave. S.E.
First-time participants may choose between two sessions, offered from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or from 5 to 10 p.m. The class covers the practice of CPR in the healthcare setting for one- and two-man adult, child and infant CPR, obstructed airways instruction, use of the bag mask and the automatic external defibrillator. A fee of $60 covers all materials.
Healthcare professionals seeking renewal of their CPR skills may choose from several two-hour sessions during the day: 8 - 10 a.m., 10 a.m. - noon, 1 - 3 p.m., 3 - 5 p.m. or 6 - 8 p.m. The fee for the two-hour renewal class is $25.
The deadline for registration is the second Wedneday of the month, one week prior to the class, since materials are mailed to participants in advance. To register, call Avera St. Luke’s Education Department at (605) 622-5588.
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Free blood pressure screenings
Avera St. Luke’s and Avera Mother Joseph Manor hold free blood pressure screenings in Aberdeen each month. Anyone needing transportation to any of these screening locations should call RIDE-LINE at (605) 626-3333 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at least one day prior to the screening.
The times and locations are:
First Tuesday: The Homestead, 9 to 10 a.m.
First Thursday: Fifth Avenue Apartments, 1 to 2 p.m.; Sherman Apartments, 2 to 3 p.m.
Second Wednesday: Bicentennial Apartments, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Third Tuesday: Aberdeen Area Senior Center , 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Fourth Wednesday: Avera Mother Joseph Manor, 1 to 2 p.m.
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Heartsaver/AED CPR classes
Avera St. Luke's offers HeartSaver/AED CPR classes for the general public, featuring the new American Heart Association standards, on the first Wednesday of each month. These classes are available for new, first-time participants as well as people seeking to renew their CPR skills. HeartSaver/AED CPR are held in Aberdeen at Avera St. Luke's Education Center, 709 Sixth Ave. S.E.
First-time participants may choose either the morning session from 8 a.m. to noon or the evening session from 6 to 10 p.m. The four-hour class covers adult, child and infant CPR, obstructed airways, and the use of the automated external defibrillator (AED). A fee of $50 covers all materials.
Those who wish to renew their CPR skills can choose from several two-hour sessions throughout the day: 8 - 10 a.m., 10 a.m. - noon, 1 - 3 p.m., 3 - 5 p.m. or 6 - 8 p.m. Renewal class fees are $25 for all materials.
The deadline for registration is one week prior to the class, since materials are mailed to participants in advance. To register, call Avera St. Luke’s Education Department at (605) 622-5588.
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Walk for Wellness
The next “Walk for Wellness” program will feature Sara Weigel, a registered dietitian at Avera St. Luke's, talking about "Hot Topics in Nutrition." The public is invited to this free presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, in Aberdeen ’s Lakewood Mall Community Room, located between Radio Shack and Regis. Blood pressures will be taken from 6:30 to 7 p.m.
The “Walk for Wellness” program invites participants to use the controlled environment of Lakewood Mall for a regular walking program. A one-mile course has been measured out at the mall. Avera St. Luke’s and Lakewood Mall are co-sponsors of this program. Free monthly educational programs by health care professionals from Avera St. Luke’s are offered on the third Thursday evening of each month, except for a holiday break in November and December. For more information, call (605) 622-5533.
People interested in participating in “Walk for Wellness” may pick up a brochure at the Lakewood Mall office or the hospital. Those who participate will receive “starter packets” from the Cardiac Rehab Program at Avera St. Luke’s that contain information on the health benefits of walking, diet, stress, cardiac risk factors and stretching exercises. Packets are also available at Bur Mar’s Shoes at the mall. Before beginning a walking program, it is wise to consult your physician, especially when special medical problems exist.
Lakewood Mall is open to walkers from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Walkers are asked to log their miles, since special recognition will be given to participants when they reach their first 100 miles and each 100 miles after that.
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Diabetes Support Group
Avera St. Luke’s Diabetes Support Group will meet at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, in Aberdeen at Avera St. Luke’s Education Center, 709 Sixth Ave. S.E.
The speaker is Sara Weigel, a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist at Avera St. Luke’s, giving information “All About Carbohydrate Counting.” This presentation will detail the importance of including a consistent amount of healthy carbohydrates into your daily eating plan and help you understand which foods will raise your blood sugar and which ones won’t.
The Diabetes Support Group meets on the first Thursday of the month. The Diabetes Support Group’s goals are to develop educational methods designed to give those who have diabetes a better understanding of their condition, to disseminate accurate information about diabetes to the general public, to educate the public on the importance of early recognition of diabetes and medical supervision of its treatment, and to provide an opportunity for individuals with diabetes to interact with others and share learning experiences. For more information, call (605) 622-5161.
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