Registration open for Homer Steps Up

/in , /by

Homer Steps Up community walking challenge is a free, four week event running May 1 – 28, 2024. In its 8th year, this popular event is open to anyone on the southern Kenai Peninsula, and regularly attracts hundreds of individuals on dozens of teams to compete for over $3,000 in random drawing and cash prizes. The winning team, based on a cumulative average of their members’ steps gets bragging rights, their name on the traveling trophy and a $500 award for a non-profit of their choice. The challenge is free to register online, and teams of 5-25 members compete by logging their steps using a wearable fitness tracker, smartphone or tracking and entering them manually. New this year is a youth category. Registration and information at www.homerstepsup.com. Homer Steps Up is coordinated by South Peninsula Hospital with support from City of Homer, South Peninsula Behavioral Health, SPARC, and SVT Health & Wellness.

EXTRA:

Prizes – The top three winning teams will get the opportunity to designate cash donations to a local non-profit of their choice. Thanks to a grant from South Peninsula Hospital Foundation, all individual participants reaching a weekly step average of 35,000 steps (approximately 5,000 steps a day) will be entered for weekly prize drawings and $1,800 in end of challenge cash prizes. Three winners will be drawn in three different step categories weekly, and they are eligible for $100, $200 and $300 cash prizes at the challenge end. New this year is a youth category. Winners will be announced and all will be celebrated at the end of challenge awards event.

Free indoor walking – As part of this event, free indoor walking will be provided every Wednesday in the month of May starting May 1st from 5-6pm at SPARC. During this time participants can enjoy free indoor walking, pick up free Homer Steps Up swag, get a free blood pressure reading and get assistance signing up. All are invited to stay from 6-7pm for free community yoga.

Learn more – Homer Steps Up is coordinated by South Peninsula Hospital and is made possible by support from the partners: City of Homer, South Peninsula Behavioral Health, SPARC, and SVT Health & Wellness. For more information visit www.homerstepsup.com or learn more at weekly Wellness Wednesday events at the KP College every Wednesday from 5-7pm through end of April.

Download PDF

Safe & Healthy Kids Fair May 4

/in , /by

The 31st Annual Safe and Healthy Kids Fair will be Saturday, May 4th from 11am-2pm at the Homer High School. This is a free, family friendly event for children of all ages to focus on safety, health, wellness, and fun! It offers more than 25 booths and stations with hands on activities and demonstrations. All attendees are invited to enter their names into a drawing for a brand new bike – multiple sizes for differing age ranges will be available to win! 

Kids can bring their bikes and helmets for a free bike inspection and enjoy the bike rodeo. Helmets are required, and are available for purchase on site at a discounted rate.

Other attractions include visits from Beary the Be Well Bear, the ever popular teddy bear clinic, stilt walkers, BOB the bookmobile, giveaways, a fire truck and ambulance, free car seat checks, free lunch, resources from community agencies, and more! Costumes are encouraged!

The Safe and Healthy Kids Fair is organized by a committee representing local organizations whose missions include facilitating healthy outcomes and injury prevention for youth.

For more information or to get involved, email safeandhealthykidsfair@gmail.com, visit the safeandhealthykidsfair facebook page or call the south peninsula hospital’s community health and wellness nurse at 907-235-0285.

And remember, “Be safe, have fun, do good, and pass it on!”

Wellness Wednesday: April Schedule

/in /by

Join us for April’s line up of Wellness Wednesday talks and yoga! 

Chaos Compass: Mindfulness for Teens

/in , /by

Join Homer Medical Center’s Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Devry Garity, for this 6-week mindfulness course.  Open to teens ages 14-18. FREE.

Email wellness@sphosp.org if interested. 

Join us for Wellness Wednesdays in March

/in , /by

Join us for March’s line up of Wellness Wednesday talks and yoga! March is “Meet Your Neighbor Month” Bring a friend… or come alone and meet someone new!

  • March 6 – Blue Zones: Secrets to a Long Life with Renae Blanton, MSN, FNP-BC, FAIHM, NTC
  • March 13 – Contemplative Practices Across Traditions with Reverend Lisa Talbott
  • March 20 – When Love Met Resilience with Kate Henry
  • March 27 – Wellness & Community with Jill Burnham

Community Pathways Survey

/in , /by

Seeking caregivers, families, or professionals who have or work with kids ages 7-17, or young adults ages 18-24 to take a survey to help understand the impacts of COVID-19 and identify ways that our kids need support.

You get $5 for your time with a chance to win $500!
Survey Deadline, February 28.

Take survey here: https://agnewbeck.com/kpbsurvey

FREE Covid Tests at www.covid.gov

/in , /by
Did you know it’s easy to get free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests through the mail? Take advantage of this program that entitles every U.S. household to receive four free COVID-⁠19 rapid tests delivered directly to your home. After you’ve tested, report your result – whether it’s positive or negative! Report at-home test results to public health agencies at 
Order Free At-Home Tests

Wellness Wednesday: From Conflict to Connection with Donna Duncan, LCSW

/in , /by

Join us for an evening with Donna Duncan, LCSW and Clinical Director at South Peninsula Behavioral Healthy Services. She will discuss strategies for transforming conflict to connection. A great skill to have in any relationship.
Yoga this month is led by Joolee Aurand. Joolee has taught Restorative, Acro, AcroFit, Sampoorna, Vinyasa and Five Elements yoga classes from Antarctica to Puerto Rico to Alaska and Pennsylvania.
The focus for this evening’s acro yoga is “Therapeutic Flying.” It’s accessible to all, and a lovely way to commune with others.
We’ll also have hot soup and delicious bread! This is a FREE event; everyone is welcome! Come for a part or stay for all!

Patients Rate South Peninsula Hospital Five Stars

/in , /by

South Peninsula Hospital (SPH) recently achieved a five-star rating in the Medicare Hospital Compare quality monitoring survey about patient care, which makes it the only hospital of 25 in the state of Alaska with a five star rating based on Medicare patient surveys.  

The patient survey asks a random sample of recently discharged patients about their hospital care experience on important topics like how well nurses and doctors communicated, how responsive staff were to their needs, and the cleanliness and quietness of the hospital. Specifically it measures communication with doctors and nurses, responsiveness of hospital staff, cleanliness of the hospital, quietness of the hospital, communication about medicines, discharge information, care transition, their overall rating of the hospital and their willingness to recommend the hospital.

Rachael Kincaid, Chief Nursing Officer at the hospital, attributes this ranking to not only the great work of staff, but also to the patients receiving care. “This ranking is a reflection of the teamwork and commitment demonstrated daily by our talented staff, as well as the commitment of the patients we care for as demonstrated in their willingness to provide the feedback. On behalf of the extended SPH team, we thank the community for this response. It is truly a privilege to provide care for members of the community at their locally-owned, community hospital.”

Through Medicare’s Hospital Compare program patients can not only give feedback on their care, but also compare hospital ratings based on name or location. Medicare updates the scores quarterly, usually based on the prior year’s surveys.  For more information and for current ratings state and nationwide, visit the Medicare hospital compare website at https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/?providerType=Hospital.

South Peninsula Hospital is a locally owned and operated non-profit community hospital in Homer, Alaska.