Health briefs
May 6, 2003 Blood drives set
The Fayette County Unit of the American Red Cross will hold the following blood drives:
– Noon to 6 p.m. Thursday at Perryopolis Fire Hall.
– 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at the Uniontown Hospital.
– Noon to 6 p.m. Monday, May 12, at Third Presbyterian Church.
– 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Connellsville.
– 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at Franklin Memorial Church in Dunbar.
– 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, May 19, at PennDOT in Uniontown.
– Noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at New Salem Presbyterian Church.
– 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at Springfield Township Volunteer Fire Department, Mill Run.
– Noon to 6 p.m. Friday, May 23, at Highlands Hospital in Connellsville.
Uniontown offers programs
The Uniontown Hospital and its home health care agency, Fayette Home Care, will offer the following community education programs in May:
– The Safe Sitter Course offers youth over the age of 11 the opportunity to learn safe babysitting techniques from registered nurses. There are two sessions. Each session is 6.5 hours. The dates will be announced. A $10 fee is charge to cover the cost of educational materials. To register, call 724-430-3333.
– Childbirth and Labor Preparation Courses are offered each month at the hospital. Two courses will be offered in a series of three or four sessions. Choose from the series scheduled for today, May 13, 20 and 27 or Wednesday, May 14, 21 and 28. Each session is held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Family Beginnings Conference Room. Registration is required. Call 724-430-4646.
– Breast Feeding is Best Feeding Support Group will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, May 12, in the Family Beginnings Conference Room. Bring your baby. The support group is led by lactation consultants who are certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. For more information, call 724-430-5573. Registration is not necessary. Parking is free.
– The Parent Support Group for Pregnancy and Infant Loss will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the hospital’s Library Conference Room. This is for parents experiencing a loss through miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn death, ectopic pregnancy or SIDS. Registration is not necessary.
– APPRISE is a State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) for older Pennsylvanians. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging created APPRISE to help Pennsylvanians understand their health insurance options and make sound decisions about what is best for them. For assistance with your Medicare-related health insurance questions, call the Fayette HealthLine for an appointment with an APPRISE counselor at 724-430-3333.
Volunteers recognized
Laurel Ridge Center recently celebrated National Volunteer Week.
“We celebrate our volunteers everyday,” said Norma McCourt, activities director. “Our volunteers are an important part of what we do at Laurel Ridge Center.”
At Laurel Ridge Center, volunteers share their time and talents with the residents by singing, reading, teaching or serving.
“We have people who come in to call bingo, and we have people who provide church services for our residents,” McCourt said. “Having people from our community share time with our residents really helps us make the living experience at Laurel Ridge Center more complete.”
Laurel Ridge Center held a volunteer celebration lunch on Saturday, May 3. For more information about volunteer opportunities at Laurel Ridge Center, contact Norma McCourt, activities director, at 724-437-9871.
Ms. Senior to speak
Local resident Renelda Anne Thomas, who holds the current reign and title of Ms. Senior Pennsylvania 2002, will be the guest speaker on Wednesday, May 14, at the Genesis Liberty Court Retirement Facility in Philadelphia.
Since winning her title, Thomas has been speaking at various luncheons, dinners and meetings in the tri-state area, regarding her participation in the May 2002 Pennsylvania Pageant and the Senior America Pageant in Biloxi, Miss., last November. Her talents in both events were art, music and writing.
In December 2001, Thomas published a romance novel titled “Loser’s Three” and holds workshops/speaking engagements on writing and self-publishing. She has just completed a children’s book on West Virginia and plans to publish it within two months. This book is to encourage children to enjoy reading and while doing so to learn about their own state.
Thomas is a retired elementary school teacher from the Preston County, W.Va., schools. The novel “Loser’s Three” can be viewed on the Web site at www.lcsys.net/losersthree
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Therapy month marked
Laurel Ridge Center/Genesis Eldercare Network celebrated National Occupational Therapy Month in April.
Occupational therapy is a skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives.
Services typically include:
– Customized treatment programs aimed at improving abilities to carry out the activities of daily living.
– Comprehensive evaluation of home and job environments and recommendations on necessary adaptation.
– Assessments and treatment for performance skills.
– Recommendations and training in the use of adaptive equipment to replace lost function.
– Guidance to family members and attendants in safe and effective methods of caring for individuals.
For more information about occupational therapy treatment, contact Carol Ann Kuklar, program director at Laurel Ridge Center, at 724-437-9871.
Seminar offered
A free seminar titled “When Your Parent Needs You” will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 22, at the Uniontown Holiday Inn on Route 40.
The seminar will provide help for adult children coping with the issues of caring for their aging parents. It will feature a 35-minute video by Pulitzer-nominated author and speaker Beth Witrogen McLeod and Avene L. Brandt, Ph.D., clinical psychologoist.
The presentation will also include speakers on living wills, in-home care, long-care insurance and services available through the state and federal governments. These experts will be available to answer your questions after the program. Refreshments will be provided. For reservations, call 724-430-8952 by Friday, May 16.