News

Fall-fighting strategies you might overlook

Many falls at home are preventable. You can remove clutter, add grab bars in the shower, keep items within reach and use brighter lighting. But there may be other factors contributing to fall risk that you haven’t considered. Take these actions to prevent falls:

• Focus on your eyes — Get your eyes checked at least every year. Eye diseases, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, raise the risk of both falls and fractures. The limited vision caused by cataracts also increases your risk of falling and breaking a bone, and studies show that cataract surgery reduces fall risk by 34%. If you wear bifocals and spend a lot of time outdoors, the safest choice when outside may be single-lens glasses .
• Do a sound check — Tell your healthcare team if you’re having trouble hearing. Hearing loss more than doubles your risk of falls. The exact mechanism isn’t known, but a brain that’s fatigued from working harder to hear may be linked to balance and posture issues. Research shows that wearing hearing aids each day significantly cuts your fall risk.
• Love your heart — Talk with your care team about ways to maintain your heart health. Cardiovascular disease causes fall risk to spike by 40% to 60% due to medicine use, low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, fainting (syncope) or reduced blood flow.
• Restore balance and strength — You’re less likely to fall if you have strong leg muscles. Work with a physical therapist or trainer on an exercise plan that includes strength and balance exercises. Or consider tai chi, a gentle exercise that improves balance and strength and reduces fall risk by up to 50%.
• Check your medications — Ask your care team or a pharmacist for a medicine review. Some medicines can make you dizzy, confused or dehydrated, all of which could contribute to a fall. Common culprits include medicines for high blood pressure, anxiety, diabetes, depression, pain and sleep.
• Don’t forget your feet — Talk with your healthcare team about foot care, especially if you have diabetes. Pick shoes with safety in mind. Wear sturdy, flat shoes with nonskid soles even when inside your home. Replace your shoes regularly.

From the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Submitted by Nancy Rasmussen, Parish Nurse

October Children’s Noisy Offerings

LSSI Holiday Hope Chest

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) Holiday Hope Chest is an annual holiday gift drive that supports individuals and families experiencing hardship. Partnering with local churches, businesses, and community organizations across Northern Illinois counties like Lee, Ogle, Carroll, and Whiteside, the program collects donated Christmas gifts, essential household items, and gift cards. This initiative helps hundreds of clients—including children and adults in LSSI care—experience joy, relief, and a sense of normalcy during the holiday season. Monies collected will be used to help buy items on the gift lists for the four children the Sunday School is sponsoring this year. Any additional monies will be gifted to LSSI for support of the Holiday Hope Chest program.

October Special Offerings

Sterling Buddy Bag Program

Church construction updates

The constitution of our congregation has been updated to bring it into compliance with the 2025 Model Constitution for Congregations of the ELCA. The Council has also approved a handful of additional proposed changes. These include:

• wording of the timing of the annual meeting to allow for a
• postponement due to weather or the lack of a quorum
• term limits of the officers
• the number of Council members
• minor changes to committee descriptions, along with the elimination of two committees.

The document will be available for review before September 11th; a copy may also be obtained from the church office. Please review the proposed changes. We will vote to approve the updates at a special meeting of the congregation on October 11th, and ratify the updates at the annual meeting on October 25th.

Beating Bad Breath

Halitosis — the dreaded bad breath — can be a symptom of minor or sometimes serious health concerns. The most common cause is odor-producing bacteria trapped on the uneven surface of the tongue or on the teeth or dentures. Other sources include tooth decay, faulty fillings and gum disease, which can create pockets for bacteria to gather. Conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and diabetes also can contribute to breath odor.

To discourage bad breath:

• Floss daily — Brushing after you eat and flossing at least once a day serve to remove decaying material from between your teeth and prevent gum disease. Similarly for denture wearers, daily cleaning ensures the removal of food particles that harbor bacteria.
• Brush your tongue — Use your toothbrush or a tongue scraper to remove bacteria from your tongue, particularly in the back.
• Drink water — Since saliva has antiseptic properties, keeping your mouth moist is beneficial.
• Chew gum — Another way to stimulate saliva production is to chew gum occasionally, preferably sugarless varieties. Gum also can help mask any odors.
• Avoid common culprits — Odors from certain foods or substances tend to linger in the mouth. These include onions, garlic, coffee, alcohol and tobacco. Even eating a lot of sugary foods is linked to developing bad breath.
• Schedule dental checkups twice a year — Your dental team can check for potential issues and provide a good cleaning at the same time.

If the issue persists, consult your dentist or primary healthcare
team to determine if underlying health conditions are at play.

From the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Submitted by Nancy Rasmussen, Parish Nurse

September Children’s Noisy Offerings

Lutheran Disaster Response

September Special Offerings

August Children’s Noisy Offerings

Faith Now

August Special Offerings

Sterling Buddy Bags

Taking An Iron Supplement

Taking iron supplements daily can be recommended for preventing iron deficiency anemia, but it’s best to consult a doctor for the correct dosage and duration, as this varies by age, gender, and health status. While daily intake may be necessary for some, others may experience side effects like constipation, nausea, and an upset stomach, which can sometimes be managed by adjusting the dosing schedule, for instance, to every other day.

WHY YOU MIGHT NEED AN IRON SUPPLEMENT

• Oxygen transport: Iron is crucial for your body to produce hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.
• Preventing anemia: If your body doesn’t have enough iron, it can lead to iron deficiency anemia, a condition with symptoms like fatigue and weakness.
• Public health recommendations: Daily iron supplementation is a standard recommendation for menstruating women and adolescent girls in areas with high rates of anemia.

POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS
Constipation, nausea, stomach upset, metallic taste in your mouth, and dark stools.

TIPS FOR TAKING IRON SUPPLEMENTS
Consult a professional: Always talk to a healthcare provider to determine the right dosage and whether you need a supplement at all.

• Consider alternate days: For some individuals, taking iron every other day can improve absorption and reduce side effects, but this should be discussed with your doctor.
• Take with food: Taking the supplement with food may help with some side effects like a metallic taste.
• Follow directions: Take the supplement as directed by your doctor, as it can take one to four weeks to notice positive effects.

From the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Submitted by Nancy Rasmussen, Parish Nurse