ICAN nurse offers health advice at Exchange Club

The Exchange Club met over lunch on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Guest speaker for the day was ICAN Nurse, Tonya Miller.

 

Treasurer Jeanne Sexton said there will be a VFW breakfast on behalf of the Exchange Club on Sept. 13. There will also be a Legion burger fry on Oct. 16. Jake Lieser, recent Minnesota Special Olympics gold medal winner, showed off some interesting pins he acquired during the Olympics. His two favorites were an Oklahoma pin which featured a cow caught in a tornado and the Hawaii pin which consisted of two surfboards.

 

ICAN Nurse Tonya Miller was the day's guest speaker. Miller has been a nurse since 1997, “For 29 years this year, it’s been a fun, fun trip.” She’s worked at clinics, hospitals, assisted living, group homes and that last one is where she says she fits in best. Growing up, she had a cousin with disabilities, and she decided that’s who she wanted to help. For ICAN, she oversees the medical care of residents living at 14 different sites. She is acquainted with every individual’s medical needs and medications. She’s on call to her staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. She says her favorite thing about working with ICAN is that she loves the people she gets to take care of.  

 

August is National Wellness month, so Miller went on to provide general information beneficial to everyone’s health. She observed that during the latest heat waves she’s been treating many patients who are suffering from dehydration, and went on to suggested that everyone should carry a water bottle with them. She also said everyone should add fruits and vegetables to every meal, “Half of your plate should be fruits or vegetables.” Another important basic habit is monitoring and adjusting sleep habits, “Too much sleep can be just as harmful as not enough.” Miller said everyone should get moving, including going out walking, “Everyone should get out for 150 minutes of exercise a week at a minimum.” She added that it’s very easy to keep track of because of the latest features in smartphones, so there’s one less excuse. Another important choice is wearing sun block; sunburn can cause skin cancer. She also emphasized the importance of dental and medical appointments saying people should see their dentist every six months, and check in with their doctor regularly.