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Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Change is upon us! Spring is around the corner, weather is warming up, the days are getting longer! With the changing season, it’s important to remember to prioritize your health and wellness. March is National Sleep Month and many of us are looking forward to the extra daylight but it is important to understand some potential impacts on your heart and brain health.

The importance of a good night's sleep is critical for our health and daily function. Poor sleep can increase cardiovascular risks such as heart attack and stroke, depression, obesity and cognitive decline such as dementia

More than 1 in 3 adults do not get the recommended amount of sleep needed for their heart health according to the American Heart Association. This is why it is important to maintain a healthy sleep pattern all year and set yourself up for success with the time change

The AHA offers some tips for a good night's sleep including prioritizing exposure to as much natural light to help regulate your body's internal clock, eat a heart healthy balanced diet with fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, and to avoid hitting the snooze button. Research shows that sleeping past your alarm can actually make you feel groggier in the morning Additionally the AHA recommends limiting sugary, caffeinated, and alcoholic beverages that can cause sleep disruptions, limit afternoon naps that can disrupt sleep patterns, and limit electronic use, especially around bed time as the blue light from most electronics can interfere with your circadian rhythm and melatonin production. These healthy habits can help you adjust to the time change as well as establish year long healthy sleep practices.

So how much sleep should you get each night? The AHA states that adults should aim for 7-9 hours each night with children and infants needing more depending on their age

The benefits of a good night’s sleep include improved mood, increased energy, increased brain function and decision making abilities, a stronger immune system, and a decreased risk of chronic diseases. As we “spring ahead” remember to prioritize healthy sleep habits.

Healthy sleep - life’s essential 8 behavior. American Heart Association. (n.d.). https://newsroom.heart.org/facts/healthy-sleep-life-s-essential-8-behavior?preview=5796&preview_mode=True

Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono

Now Delivering a Better Post-Delivery Experience for Moms and Families

Major renovations to mother-baby unit gives moms, babies and families the experience they deserve

Major improvements have arrived to the Family Birth and Newborn Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Pocono.

Thanks to the generosity of local donors, women who deliver at LVH–Pocono will have an elevated labor, delivery and post-delivery experience. Those first to step forward with significant support for these renovations include: Lester G. Abeloff Foundation; Joan M. Duckloe, member, Pocono Health Foundation Board of Directors; Andrew A. Forte, PhD, member, Pocono Health Foundation Board of Directors; and Ann Negvesky, chair, Pocono Health Foundation Board of Directors.

The Family Birth and N ks and patient satisfaction scores for our doctors ns by U.S. News & World Report. LVH–Pocono was nam n to a Maternity Care Access designation for provid ck adequate access

“With our recent facilit ting the environment that women want and expe with LVPG Obstetrics and Gynecology–Pocono

The transformative ren and delivery area, thereby creating more comfort r loved ones Additionally, changes will include im to the hospital’s Level III neonatal intensive care

Welcome changes to the mother-baby unit

The mother-baby unit is completely reimagined with the biggest upgrade being the move away from shared rooms to private rooms.

“With these renovations, the goal was to make the mother-baby rooms feel as close to home as possible,” says Dr. Hogan

These large, single private rooms allow for more family-centered care, including sleeping accommodations for the partner, a personal in-room refrigerator and a workstation desk with extra outlets and USB ports so moms and their partners can easily connect with family members and friends during the start of this joyous new chapter

Labor and delivery updates due to arrive 2027

Renovations to the labor and delivery unit are set to be completed in 2027 Once completed, the expansion of the unit will enable us to serve more OB patients in the Pocono region with additional labor and delivery rooms that are more spacious and better designed for mom’s birthing experience – as well as for their partner or support person. Because some labors are lengthy, each room will have overnight accommodations for the patient’s support person or partner.

“The new rooms are the perfect atmosphere to accommodate a woman's birth preferences,” says certified nursemidwife Andrea McLaren. “Some of our rooms will be equipped with birthing swings as well as soaking tubs so women can use hydrotherapy for pain management while they're laboring.”

Delivering the whole package of maternity care – from pregnancy through postpartum RenovaLVH–Pocono is the only hospital in Monroe County with obstetrical services and now, with these enhancements, women can receive the labor, delivery and post-birth experience they want – and deserve – close to home and under the safety net of the hospital in their community.

“It’s what we as women expect when we give birth,” Dr. Hogan says. “We want a welcoming, homelike environment like a soaking tub while laboring and a refrigerator post-delivery. But we also are reassured by the access to the latest technology for the safety of our mothers and newborns ”

Through Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), part of Jefferson Health, women who live in the Poconos and are pregnant or planning for that next step already have access to the obstetrics care they desire. Whether they are interested in standard maternity care, midwifery care or virtual prenatal care, LVHN offers the OB care that’s right for them They also have access to the Connections Program – a one-of-a-kind program that offers comprehensive, compassionate care specifically designed for pregnant women navigating substance use – as well as postpartum support through the WAVES (Women Adjusting to Various Emotional States) Program – another one-of-a-kind program designed to help women who find themselves struggling with mood and anxiety disorders through pregnancy and the first 12 months of motherhood. The renovations to the Family Birth and Newborn Center at LVH–Pocono add the personal touch women need to stay close to home for all of their obstetrics and newborn care needs.

Professional Professional Anniversaries Anniversaries

TJ Prince, EMT TJ Prince, EMT Manager Manager

Joined PMR March 7, 2004

Jeff Kovalchik, Paramedic Jeff Kovalchik, Paramedic

Joined PMR March 19, 2015

Thank you for being a part of our team! Thank you for being a part of our team!

Colleen Knecht, EMT

Joined PMR March 27, 2024

St. Luke’s Older Adult Meal Program Is a Big Hit among Seniors

Even a frigid cold day in January after a near-record snow couldn’t stop area senior citizens from heading to St Luke’s Anderson Campus in Northampton County for their evening meal

“The food is delicious, but the main reason we come is the people,” said retired physician Ralph Shields of Bethlehem “The friends We have friends we get to see here all the time ”

His wife, Jean Soloi, was a bit more focused on the food “Do they have a good dessert,” she asked “I have to get it first ” Dozens of senior citizens turn out every weekday night to the cafeterias at 10 St. Luke’s campuses to take advantage of the Older Adult Meal Program.

Over at Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, 85-year-old Clem Utara from nearby Deer Lake goes 4-5 times a week depending on the menu, and gets there early to save seats for five friends so they can all sit together

“The food is good,” he said “The ambiance here, the people, the staff, it just feels nice I look forward to it, and to seeing everyone ”

For just $3 99, adults 65and-over receive a nutritious and healthy meal that includes an entree, a soup or salad, a side dish, vegetable, dessert and a 12-ounce drink All the meals are prepared fresh daily, and many of the ingredients are grown at the St Luke’s Rodale Institute Organic Farm, a 14-acre area that grows more than 70 varieties of about 30 types of produce.

St Luke’s began the Older Adult Meal Program in 2017, one component of a broader Senior Health Program committed to helping older adults stay as healthy and independent as long as possible

According to a study in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, about one-third of older adults reported feeling lonely or a felt a lack of companionship, with that percentage raising the lower their income. Loneliness and social isolation increased the mortality rate by more than 25%.

“This initiative addresses many of the needs outlined in our 2025 Community Health Need Assessment comprehensively –from access, healthy fresh food, to building companionship for community development,” said Rajika E Reed, Ph D , MPH,

The Older Adult Meal Program, providing affordable nutritious meals along with social contact, exemplifies the unique culture that has made St Luke’s the top-ranked health care system in the country In 2025, the U S Department of Health and Human Services ranked St Luke’s #1 ahead of Houston Methodist and Mayo Clinic as the nation’s top health system for quality, safety and patient experience an objective recognition reaffirming St. Luke’s preeminent position as a leader among the largest and most respected health care providers in the country.

“The food is good and it’s good company, but it’s a great value,” said Butch Cutrona of Plainfield Township, who was there with his partner, Theresa. While often it’s the relatively low price of the meals that initially draws people, it’s the quality and camaraderie that keeps them coming back

“My daughter-in-law told me about this a long time ago,” Theresa Rothrock said “I never really thought about coming until one of the friends I have breakfast with said she was coming, so we came That was two years ago, and we’ve been coming ever since ”

Theresa said that the friends they meet make the evening meals special She and Butch attend almost every weeknight “We sit with our friends and we laugh so much,” she said “People say they want to sit at our table because we’re having so much fun ”

Ralph and Jean said they attend two or three nights a week He is a retired St Luke’s family practice internal medicine doctor, the middle of a three-generation chain of St Luke’s doctors starting with his father and now his son Ian Russell, the general manager for Dietary Administration at the Anderson Campus, said they serve 60-100 Older Adult meals every day, averaging 63 meals per weekday over the last year The Warren (NJ) Campus led the way by averaging 80 meals per weekday

“We get a big crowd, about 20-30 who are regulars every day,” he said “Some of them get here well before we are ready to serve at 4 o’clock.”

Sally Boyer, a Nutrition Services aide, is the shining star for the seniors on Wednesday nights. She knows everyone’s name and everyone asks her what's being served before they get to the dinner line.

Hours vary a bit from campus to campus for the Older Adult meals, but they are served on weekdays Monday through Frid

MARCH IS

CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

WATCH FOR THE SIGNS

COLORECTAL CANCER

PREVENTION

SYMPTOMS

After a few short weeks of finalizing contracts and permits, and a few more thanks to Mother Nature slowing us down, we have OFFICIALLY BROKEN GROUND on our long anticipated headquarters replacement project!

Construction is now underway, and we are beyond excited to see this vision start becoming a reality. This new facility represents the future of PMREMS and our continued commitment to serving our communities with excellence.

We look forward to sharing updates as progress continues and cannot wait to welcome everyone to our new home later this year!

Stay tuned. The future is being built right now.

2026 Board of Directors Meetings

Re-Organization Meeting January 22, 2026

February 26, 2026

March 26, 2026

April 23, 2026

May 28, 2026

June 25, 2026

July 23, 2026

August 20, 2026*

September 24, 2026

October 22, 2026

November 19, 2026

December 17, 2026

*Updated meeting date

PMREMS meetings will be held 7p.m. at Tobyhanna Township Municipal Center, 105 Government Center Way, Pocono Pines, PA 18350 on the dates listed above. Online access for Zoom or Google Meet available at PMREMS.org