Walingford and Meriden Health News January 2009

To read The People’s Press in image or pdf form go to http://www.peoplespressnews.com/ . We are Wallingford and Meriden Connecticut’s Community Newspaper. Health and Wellness News and Events – January 2009 Lymphedema Symposium The Cancer Center at MidState Medical Center presents a Lymphedema SymposiumLearn ways to prevent and manage this chronic condition including:~Updated information on education and exercise~Treatment options~Garments and ProductsAn interactive demonstration of "Focus on Healing," an exercise program to assist with lymphedema preventionMonday, January 5, 20096 p.m. to 8 p.m. MidState Medical Center, Horwitz Conference Rooms 2 & 3To register, please call 203-694-8353. A light supper will be served. Balance and Hearing MidState will be holding a health education program on balance and hearing in January, and I would like to have an announcement in the calendar section of your publication, if possible. The details are below: When Dizziness Becomes a Problem Friday, January 23, 2008 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. MidState Medical Center, Horwitz Conference Center Presenter Arvind Kumar, MD Learn about the signs and symptoms of a balance problem as well as how the balance system works. Special focus on the tests used to diagnose a balance or hearing condition and the treatments that effectively manage it. If you suffer from vertigo or other balance issues, come to this informative program. To register, please call 203-694-8733.

SUNDAY MORNING SWIM LESSONS AT THE WALLINGFORD FAMILY YMCA. A GREAT IDEA AT A GREAT PRICE! Preschool Swim lessons begin Sunday, Jan. 11 for 7 weeks. The Sunday morning classes have the same quality instructors, and the same student teacher ratio at a lower rate than the Mon- Sat. lessons. Want your preschooler introduced to swimming yet concerned over the family budget? Then check on line at http://www.wallingfordymca.org/ or call 203 269 4497 to register for one of our Sunday swim lessons! We want every child to learn to swim. Wallingford YMCA Is offering a Huggies Little Swimmers Parent-Child Outreach Program The goal of this program is to introduce water experiences to children ages 6 months-40 months old. A parent or other caregiver must accompany the child in the pool. Parents will be given information and demonstrations on how to help their child be safer around pools and open water. Parents and children will be introduced to life jackets and other swim aids and their use. Our goal is to reach underserved and low income families in the Wallingford/Meriden community. Huggies swim diapers will be supplied to all children for each class. The class will be held in our warm therapy pool and will meet for half an hour once a week for 5 weeks. 4 sessions will be offered. Families may participate in only 1 session. Classes will be full with 10 parent-child pairs, so early registration is important. A $5 non refundable fee is due at registration. Session B- Sat. 10:50 – 11:20AM Jan. 10- Feb. 7, 2009 __________________________________________________________ Healthy Balance – The First Steps The Wallingford Family YMCA and the Wallingford Public Library are pleased to present Healthy Balance, the First Steps, a free, hands-on workshop that’s open to all members of the community. In this workshop, discover why diets don’t work and what does work. Learn how to take the first steps towards improving your eating habits. Learn how to easily incorporate more effective, calorie-burning activity into your already busy lifestyle. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to take the first steps towards a healthier lifestyle. Healthy Balance, the First Steps is an introduction to the YMCA’s full 8-week Healthy Balance Program that addresses the health of the mind, body and spirit through hands-on learning about nutrition, fitness, and stress reduction. Call the Wallingford Public Library at 203-265-6754 or go to http://www.wallingford.lioninc.org/ to reserve your spot in this free workshop. Thursday, January 8th, 6:30-8:00 pm at the Wallingford Public Library, 200 N. Main St., Wallingford, CT. The YMCA’s 8-week Healthy Balance Program begins on Monday, January 12th, 6:00-7:00 pm; register for the full session through that Wallingford Family YMCA at 203-269-4497 or by stopping by the Welcome Center at 81 S. Elm St., Wallingford, CT. A second 8-week session may be available during a different time slot if interest warrants. _____________________________________________________________________________ January – A Perfect Month to Test Your Home for Radon You can’t see it, smell it, or taste it. Yet it could be in your home. It’s radon! Radon is a naturally occurring colorless and odorless radioactive gas. Radon can enter your home through small cracks and other openings in the basement or foundation. Radon can also enter your home through your water supply. Radon in your home’s water is not usually a problem when the source is surface water. A radon in water problem is more likely when its source is ground water, such as a private well or a public water supply system that uses ground water. At elevated levels, radon exposure can increase the risk of developing lung cancer. Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on how much radon is in your home and the amount of time you spend in your home. Smoking combined with radon exposure is an especially serious health risk. Any home can have a radon problem. Radon levels tend to increase inside the home during the heating season when homes are closed. This makes January a perfect month to test for radon. Testing is easy to do and should only take a few minutes of your time. Kits can be found at your local hardware store, or by calling the American Lung Association. To purchase a kit call 1-800-LUNG-USA or order online at www.lungct.org. For more information on radon, please call the Meriden Health Department, Environmental Health Division, at 630-4226. Women’s Total Cholesterol Screening The Meriden Health Department will be offering free total cholesterol screenings to women who live in Meriden. Screenings will be held on January 13 and 29, 2009, from 9:30-11:30am at the Health Department, 165 Miller Street. Normal total cholesterol levels are under 200. If your total screening comes back over 200, we will recommend that you see your doctor for a follow-up test, which will tell you how much “good” and “bad” cholesterol is in your body. The health department’s Community Health Educator will contact you by phone approximately 1 week to 10 days after your total screening to see what measures you took or are going to take to lower your cholesterol. Appointments for the screening are required, and are first come, first serve. All screenings are held at the Meriden Health Department, 165 Miller Street. Call 630-4234 to make your appointment. One screening per person, please. Screenings are funded by a women’s healthy heart grant through the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Lunch and Learn: Call 9-1-1! Recognizing Heart Attack and Stroke On February 11, 2009, the Meriden Health Department will be hosting a lunch and learn on recognizing a heart attack and stroke, and how to care for cardiac and breathing emergencies in adults. The lunch and learn will be held from 12:00-1:00pm at the Meriden Public Library, 105 Miller Street. Lunch will be provided, but you must RSVP for this event. Bring your own drink. Presented by Lea Crown, Community Health Educator, as part of the W.I.S.H.H. women’s healthy heart program. Call 630-4238 to reserve a spot. __________________________________________________________________________________ Assisted Living vs. In Home Care At some point, every one of us will reach the age where we need help with day-to-day living. Loved ones and family members will do what they can but even their help will run out. Death and separation by distance are the two most common reasons why family members can no longer provide others with the assistance they need. Before that day arrives, and it will, it is important that you make your preferences known to the individuals who will be making those life-changing decisions for you or with you. The decision that is going to drive all other quality of life decisions is going to be whether or not a person will be able to continue living in his/her own home or whether that person will be moved to an Assisted Living Facility, also known as an ALF. An ALF is a full-service living environment. Residents live in separate units that are set up to resemble small apartments. Residents are allowed to bring in many of their personal belongings, sometimes even their pets, in an effort to make them as comfortable as possible during their stays. Residents pay a monthly fee that generally will cover full meal service, around-the-clock certified nursing assistance, transportation to and from shopping and medical appointments, and scheduled events held both on- and off-site. In addition to individual living quarters, many ALFs also include common spaces such as a sun room, music room, library, pool, and game room. The actual services that are provided will vary based on the individual ALF.

This type of living arrangement works well for those who can afford it and for those fortunate enough to be part of a caring environment. Residents can be as involved as they choose and many benefit from the companionship, activities and care that is part of ALF living. Once part of an ALF environment, residents typically remain there until they pass away. Family is always welcome and visitation is highly encouraged. In home care providers handle many of these same tasks with the difference being that the services are provided right at a person’s home. The person in need of care is still physically able to live in the home; he or she is just having difficulty handling some of the everyday tasks such as meal preparation, housekeeping, mail sorting, personal care and grooming, transportation, transferring from bed to chair to toilet, and other such tasks. In home care does not typically include the provision of medical care. In home care is a great option for those who have recently lost a companion because this type of service can definitely help fill a void. Companionship is one of the biggest benefits of hiring in home help. There are pros and cons involved with both types of living arrangements. That is why the decision as to whether living in an ALF or living independently with the help of an in home care provider should be discussed long before the need arises. Submitted by Carol Carbutti, Owner of Comfort Keepers

To read The People’s Press in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are Wallingford and Meriden Connecticut’s Community Newspaper.