TOPEKA, Kan. – For the first time in the 20-year history of the Kansas Tobacco Quitline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, is offering all phone coaching enrollees eight weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy while supplies last.

Participants who are 18 years and older that want to quit smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco, and enroll in the phone coaching program, can choose a lozenge, gum, or patch that will be mailed directly to their home if they enroll by midnight on Sunday, April 30.

“We want all tobacco users to know that although quitting is hard, they can do it,” said Matthew Schrock, cessation coordinator. “Individuals who smoke often try to quit several times before succeeding, but proven treatments and services are available that can improve your chances to quit for good. We encourage all Kansans to try to quit, and if they want free help, take advantage of this opportunity.”

The Kansas Tobacco Quitline is a free, 24/7 resource available to Kansas residents to help them quit smoking. The Quitline provides help such as counseling, a personalized Quit Plan, and quitting support by phone and through online services. A survey of Quitline users highlighted that 90 percent of participants were satisfied with the Quitline coaches and counselors. The Quitline can be reached by calling 800-QUIT-NOW or 800-784-8669.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office will participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 22nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. This bi-annual event offers free, anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office, 131 W. 14th St., Lyndon, Kan., will serve as a drop off point on Drug Take Back Day. Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells reminds citizens that medications are also accepted at the sheriff’s office any time during business hours.

“Disposing of unneeded medications can help prevent drugs from being misused,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Overdose deaths continue to hit tragic record highs. I encourage everyone to dispose of unneeded prescription medications now.”

A report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications – those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed – that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 15 million pounds of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the overdose epidemic in the United States.

DEA and its law enforcement partners collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.

TOPEKA, Kan. – Influenza season is here in Kansas. While activity remains low, influenza cases have already been seen in Kansas.

The flu vaccine remains the best way to prevent flu illness and serious flu complications, including those that can result in hospitalization and death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends receiving the vaccine before influenza activity begins in your community, ideally by the end of October.

“Early indications say the flu may hit a little harder this year, so it’s very important to start thinking about getting the vaccine,” said Dr. Joan Duwve, State Health Officer. “The good news is you don’t need two separate appointments; you can get your flu and COVID vaccines at the same time.”

KDHE monitors flu activity, including the percentage of emergency department visits and deaths attributable to influenza. During the 2021-2022 flu season, influenza was a contributing or direct cause of death in 44 deaths. Pneumonia, which often develops with influenza infections, was a contributing or direct cause of death in 1,200 deaths. Severe influenza infection and symptoms may be avoided with vaccination.

LYNDON, Kan. – The Lyndon Lions Club will host a Strides Community Walk Event, Oct. 1, 2022, at Lyndon Jones Park, Lyndon, Kan. The local Lions are inviting community residents of all ages to participate in this event, which will benefit Camp Discovery Youth Diabetes Summer Camp.  Registration for the event is $5 per person. All participants will receive a “participation bag”.

The Strides Walk starts at 8 a.m. that Saturday, with participant on-site registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. for those not pre-registered. The registration station will be set up at the Lyndon Lions Shelter House in Jones Park by the baseball diamonds.

“Gather your family, friends, and neighbors to register and join the Lyndon Lions Club for this exciting event,” said club president Ferne Evans. “Strides is an enjoyable way for the community to get together to promote healthy exercise in the fight against diabetes.”

During the Strides event, participants can visit stations along the way to participate in activities and learn more about the prevention and management of diabetes. Lions and Leos around the world organize Strides community events to heighten awareness about diabetes and to emphasize the importance of healthy exercise to prevent and manage this disease.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state of Kansas, and Coffey County, Kan., will participate in a one-day exercise Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022, at Wolf Creek Generating Station, near Burlington, Kan. The routine exercise will test the abilities of the state of Kansas, the utility, and the participating county to protect the health and safety of the public living and working in the vicinity of the generating station.

The exercise is required every two years to test state and local radiological emergency preparedness and response plans. It will require the activation of emergency facilities by the participating state and local officials. The activities of state, county, and local governments will be observed and evaluated by the FEMA Region 7 Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program. Wolf Creek Generating Station on-site performance will be observed and evaluated by officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

A public meeting will be held to discuss the full-scale response exercise process at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at the Coffey County Library, 410 Juniatta, Burlington. The process of evaluating the full-scale response exercise takes months, so the preliminary findings are expected to be limited in scope. Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting.

Representatives from FEMA Region 7 will chair the meeting and explain the exercise process. A representative from the NRC Region 4 office will discuss activities conducted on-site at the power plant during the exercise.

Lyndon Carnegie Library will host a class for people experiencing Alzheimer’s disease, either as a caregiver or patient. The class, Alzheimer’s 101 – Know the 10 Signs, will be 2:30-3:30 p.m. July 21, 2022, at the library.

Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause memory, thinking and behavior problems that interfere with daily living. Anyone interested is invited to join the class to learn how to recognize common signs of the disease, how to approach someone about memory concerns, the importance of early detection and benefits of a diagnosis, possible tests and assessments for the diagnostic process, and Alzheimer’s Association resources.

The class is free but registration is requested. Participants can register on the library’s website, www.lyndonlibrary.org, or by calling 785-828-4520, or visiting the library at 127 E. Sixth St., Lyndon, Kan.

RCIL will host a two-part seminar to help people who have vision loss. Attendees will learn about topics such as self-care, and using technology to help with every day needs. The seminar will be 12-2 p.m. on two days, July 6 and July 13, 2022, at the Osage County Senior Center, 604 Market St., Osage City, Kan.

The first session will cover self care, shopping, and cooking; second session will include reading, writing, and using technology.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Amanda Smith, of Resource Center for Independent Living, at 785-528-3105, or amanda.smith@rcilinc.org.

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy is an eight-week exercise program presented by K-State Research and Extension and geared toward older adults and sedentary middle-aged adults. The goal of the evidence-based program is to improve health, quality of life, and maintain independence through strength training.

Adults can begin to lose muscle mass, even in their early 30s. And, in their 50s, adults can see the decline in muscle mass really begin to accelerate. Older adults, however, are sometimes reluctant to start strengthening activities to counter the effects of aging on their bodies. The idea of going to the gym or not knowing the proper exercises to do at home can keep people from starting.

The Stay Strong, Stay Healthy program addresses these concerns by providing an environment where older adults can learn how to strengthen their muscles from certified instructors. Participants in the program meet for one hour, twice a week for eight weeks. Each session includes warm-up exercises, simple strengthening exercises with and without weights, and cool-down stretches. Class members are also encouraged to do the exercises on their own once more per week. Over the eight weeks, participants learn the exercises and begin to improve strength and balance. After eight weeks, participants are encouraged to continue the program at home or with a community group.

The potential benefits of strength training include a decrease in arthritis pain, weight maintenance, and a reduction in the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and depression. Stress management and improvement in sleep quality are other potential benefits.

The program will be offered in the Frontier Extension District from June 1-July 22, 2022, in Lyndon. The class will meet weekly 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, at the Lyndon Community Center, 204 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, Kan.

Registration is requested by May 31 and the cost to participate is $20. For those 60 and older, the cost to participate is free of charge due to a grant through the East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging.