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Features

Power outages and food safety

[APRIL 10, 2003]  Logan County has just had its first major spring storm, and it brought a power outage, as some storms do. To prepare for a power outage, whether it comes from a spring storm or a winter storm, here are some guidelines that can be used:

• Do not open refrigerator or freezer doors. Keep them closed!!

• Normal freezer temperatures should be at 0 F, and refrigerator temperatures should be about 40 F.

• If frozen food rises above 40 F, it should be thrown out. If the food is colder than 40 F, it should still be safe to eat. Frozen food that has been thawed should be used as soon as possible. Food that has thawed and will be refrozen is safe to eat, but the quality may not be the best.

• Food that reaches above 40 F for more than two hours should be discarded.

• Examples of food that should be thrown out if the temperature rises above 40 F are meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, eggs and containers of open product where the manufacturer states "refrigerate after opening." Normally foods such as fruits and vegetables are safe to keep.

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• Refrigerators and freezers that are full may hold temperatures longer than empty ones. Bags or blocks of ice put in the refrigerator may also help lower the temperature.

• Thermometers for checking refrigerator and freezer temperatures and those used to check actual food temperatures may be purchased at most department stores or retail grocery stores.

If you're not sure whether the food is safe or not, don't take any chances. IF IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!!!!

If you have questions, please contact the Logan County Health Department at (217) 735-2317.

[News release provided by Kathy Waldo,
Logan County Health Department]

National Alcohol Screening Day April 10

[APRIL 5, 2003]  The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Geriatrics Society, the National Mental Health Association and others are sponsoring the fifth annual National Alcohol Screening Day, which is April 10. Its purpose is to raise awareness about alcohol problems through outreach, education and screening, and referrals for further evaluation.

There will be more than 2,000 screening sites.

• Eastland Mall
  Bloomington, IL 61701
  (309) 827-6026
  April 10, 2-8 p.m.

• Parkland College Counseling Center
  Champaign, IL 61821
  (217) 353-2254
  April 10, noon to 1 p.m.

To find other screening sites, visit www.mentalhealthscreening.org.

An estimated 14 million Americans meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol-use disorders. Approximately one-half of adults in the country report family history of alcoholism or problem drinking.

Older people are particularly susceptible to "late-onset alcoholism." This is a dependency that develops after the death of a spouse or close friend or upon retirement, for example.

According to the National Mental Health Association, older adults are at risk of developing alcohol problems because:

--As people age, even smaller amounts of alcohol cause serious health problems.

--People 65 and older consume 25 percent to 30 percent of all prescription medications, and more than 150 medications interact harmfully with alcohol.

--As older adults experience lift changes such as retirement, the loss of loved ones or deterioration in physical health, they may turn to alcohol to cope.

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Heavy drinking raises the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, certain cancers, accidents, violence, birth defects and overall mortality.

Reactions to alcohol vary tremendously. The same person can react differently under different circumstances. Reactions depend on many factors: body weight, mood, food and medication. Generally, older people drink smaller quantities than younger people but will be more quickly and adversely affected.

Alcoholism is a serious illness and may be confused with other psychiatric problems, such as depression. Alcohol abuse can mask and worsen the symptoms associated with depression. Use of alcohol can cause other drugs to be metabolized more rapidly, producing exaggerated responses.

Some early warning signs of alcoholism are drinking more, and more often than normal; mood changes; personality changes; confusion; and irritability.

For more information, call (781) 239-0071 or visit www.nationalalcoholscreeningday.org.

[Fact sheet provided by
Illinois Department on Aging]

Health Matters

A monthly feature from  Logan County Health Department

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

[APRIL 1, 2003]  Since 1983, when April was designed Child Abuse Prevention Month, communities across the country have used this monthlong observance to increase awareness of child abuse and its prevention. It is a time when individuals, schools, businesses, hospitals, religious organizations, and social service agencies join forces in the battle against child abuse.

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--Children count on the adults in their lives. Report suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect. In Illinois, call 1 (800) 25-ABUSE [1-800-252-7328] and in emergency situations call 911.

Prevent Child Abuse Illinois was founded in 1990 to address the issues of child abuse and neglect prevention throughout Illinois. Prevent Child Abuse Illinois accomplishes its mission through public awareness campaigns, parent education and support programs, professional training and technical assistance, and community prevention programs. For more information about Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, call (217) 522-1129 or visit www.preventchildabuseillinois.org.

Prevent Child Abuse Illinois has offices in Bloomington, Chicago, DeKalb, East St. Louis, Glen Ellyn, Harvey, Joliet, Marion, Peoria, Rock Island and Springfield. The address for the home office is 528 S. Fifth St., Suite 211, Springfield, IL 62701.

[Provided by Logan County Health Department]

Red Cross

West Nile Virus

West Nile virus links

LDN articles

• Local authorities watching WNV

Federal websites

• CDC WNV home page

State websites

• State WNV website

• Protect your home against mosquitoes
• State surveillance site
• Logan County surveillance site

Honors & Awards

Announcements

Logan County Breast Cancer Support Group

[ALMH]

CICBC blood drives monthly at paramedics' building

Blood supplies across the nation are critical. In some areas, there is less than a one-day supply. Fortunately, thanks to the dedicated donors in central Illinois, these tremendous shortages have not yet touched our hospitals. However, the blood supply is a resource that must be renewed. Every three seconds someone needs a blood transfusion of some kind. To accommodate this constant usage, community members must continually help replenish the supply. Since a donor can donate whole blood only every eight weeks, Central Illinois Community Blood Center needs community members to come forward and help with this lifesaving effort.

Central Illinois Community Blood Center provides all of the blood and blood products for 12 area hospitals, including those in Lincoln, Hopedale and Springfield. No other organization provides blood in these hospitals. CICBC is a community-based blood center whose mission is to provide a safe and adequate blood supply for patients in local hospitals in a cost-effective manner.

When you donate blood through CICBC, you help to keep a safe and adequate blood supply for your community. You also help keep local medical costs under control.

Regularly scheduled blood drives are on the first Monday of each month (except Labor Day) at the Logan County Paramedic Association building, 1300 N. Postville Road. (See schedule.) Please help by donating blood.

CICBC also provides other services for the communities served, such as therapeutic phlebotomy at no charge for patients with hereditary hemochromatosis.

For more information, call Terry Bell at 753-1530.

[CICBC press release]

• April 11, at Lincoln Community High School

• May 5, noon-6 p.m., at Logan County Paramedic Association building

• May 14, hours and location to be announced

• June 2, noon-6 p.m., at Logan County Paramedic Association building

• July 7, noon-6 p.m., at Logan County Paramedic Association building

• July 15, hours and location to be announced

• Aug. 4, noon-6 p.m., at Logan County Paramedic Association building

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• Sept. 8, noon-6 p.m., at Logan County Paramedic Association building

• Sept. 24, hours and location to be announced

• Oct. 6, noon-6 p.m., at Logan County Paramedic Association building

• Nov. 3, noon-6 p.m., at Logan County Paramedic Association building

• Nov. 12, hours and location to be announced

• Dec. 1, noon-6 p.m., at Logan County Paramedic Association building

The Rural Health Partnership has announced the schedule for its mobile health unit for 2002.

For more information on the mobile health unit schedule and services, contact Dayle Eldredge at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 409.

Community resource list

This family resource list to save and use is provided by the Healthy Communities Partnership and the Healthy Families Task Force, 732-2161, Ext. 409.         

(updated 2-15-02)

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