November is a month filled with health observances. One that doesn’t get talked about enough is National Family Caregivers. There are over 90 million family caregivers in the nation, lets recognize them this month for allowing their loved ones to stay home longer.

Take a look at these amazing facts collected by the Caregiver Action Network:

• Most adults would prefer to age in place.  90% of adults over the age of 65 would prefer to stay in their current home as they age.  Family, friends, and neighbors provide 80% of the care for the elderly.

• Two out of every 5 adults are family caregivers.  39% of all adult Americans are caring for a loved one who is sick, disabled, or living with frailties of old age. That’s up from 30% in 2010.

• Family caregivers are the only people who are present with patients in all care settings.  Patients may have more than one doctor; nurses change shifts; prescriptions may be filled at different pharmacies. But family caregivers are there as full partners with their loved ones through it all.

• Complex care happens in the home.Almost half of family caregivers perform sophisticated medical/nursing tasks for their loved ones – such as providing wound care and operating specialized medical equipment – and up to 70% manage medications for their loved ones.

• Caregiving affects the whole family. Men are now almost as likely to say they are family caregivers as women are (37% of men; 40% of women). And even 36% of younger Americans between ages 18 and 29 say they are family caregivers!

Many families make changes at home because of their caregiving responsibilities. Some families have to tighten their belts at home to pay for out-of-pocket caregiving costs (an average of $5,500 per year). And many more have to make home alterations to ensure safety, security, and cleanliness for their loved ones.

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has received the American College of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTION Registry–GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award for the second consecutive year.

The Center of Disease Control estimates that over 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. This award recognizes Prairie Lakes’ commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients, and signifies that Prairie Lakes has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) clinical guidelines and recommendations.

 “We are honored to receive this award for the second consecutive year,” said Jill Fuller, President and CEO of Prairie Lakes. “This award recognizes the quality of our doctors and staff.  Heart services in Watertown meet the highest, national standards of care.”

To receive the ACTION Registry–GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System consistently followed the treatment guidelines in the ACTION Registry–GWTG Premier for eight consecutive quarters and met a performance standard of 90 percent for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

 “Prairie Lakes is focused on improving the quality of cardiovascular care by implementing ACTION Registry–GWTG. What does this award mean to our community?  Well it proves that you can receive high-quality heart services right here in Watertown.  Receiving this award for the second consecutive year reflects on our team’s hard work and dedication to provide quality care to heart attack patients,” said Leah Le, Cath Lab Director.

The American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association commend Prairie Lakes Healthcare System for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols. ACTION Registry–GWTG is a partnership between the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association with partnering support from the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. 

This week Prairie Lakes/Sodexo Dietitians bring you a Balsamic Glazed Salmon with Easy Half-Mashed Potatoes, a Roasted Asparagus Salad, and a 8 oz glass of milk. Yum! Total carbs: 48 grams.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon: 17g carbs, 280 calories, 26g protein. Serves 2. 

Ingredients: ½ cup balsamic vinegar | 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard | 2 teaspoons honey | 2 (4-ounce) salmon filets | ½ green onion, chopped

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.

2) In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thick, about 10 minutes. 

3) Brush the salmon filets with half of the balsamic glaze and reserve the other half. Bake the salmon for 10-14 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

4) Remove the salmon from the oven and pour the remaining glaze over the salmon. Top with green onion and serve hot.

Easy Half-Mashed Potatoes: 16g carbs, 110 calories, 2g protein. Serves 11. (Use the leftovers for potatoe pancakes, pot pies, and soups)

Ingredients: 24 ounce (1lb 8 oz) bag fingerling petite potatoes, cut into 1-inch rounds with skin-on | 16-ounce bag frozen cauliflower florets | 1/3 cup skim milk | 5 tablespoons Smart Balance margarine | 1/2 teaspoon salt | 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:

1) Add potatoes to a large soup pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes.

2) Add cauliflower to pot, return to a boil, and cook for 5 more minutes.

3) Drain potatoes and cauliflower and return to pot.

4) Add remaining ingredients and mash mixture with a potato masher.Mix with an electric mixer on low-speed for about 1 minute.

Roasted Asparagus Salad: 3g carbs, 45 calories, 2g protein. Serves 2.

Ingredients: 8 medium asparagus spears, trimmed and patted very dry | 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts | 2 teaspoons light balsamic vinaigrette | Pepper, to taste (coarsely ground preferred)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray.

2) Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on the baking sheet.

3) Sprinkle the walnuts around the asparagus. Lightly spray the asparagus with cooking spray. Roll back and forth to coat.

4) Roast for 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn the asparagus over gently.

5) Roast for 4 minutes, or until the walnuts begin to brown. Transfer to a plate.

6) Spoon the vinaigrette over the asparagus and walnuts. Roll back and forth to coat.

7) Sprinkle with the pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes so the flavors blend. 

Visit next week for healthy Thanksgiving meal recipes! Find more recipes for healthy living by the American Diabetes Association.

Not only is lung cancer the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US, but globally as well.

Now is a perfect time to recognize the impact of lung cancer and become aware of recent research and studies. Unfortunately, lung cancer is most often caught in advance stages. Recognizing this, research efforts are starting to be focused on developing treatments that can improve survival rates.

Therapies that focus on boosting the immune system have proven to be very promising treatments for patients with advanced lung cancer. There are three different immune therapies and one that is already approved for use. Learn more about these exciting therapies and make sure to take a look at the Prairie Lakes Cancer Center for more information.