Mar 11, 2019 11 min read

Events

n Miners from Fayette and surrounding counties can attend a program from Lungs at Work that will include health assessments, pulmonary screenings, pulse oximetry testing, and benefits counseling and assistance with federal Black Lung applications April 25 at the American Legion Post 51, 501 East Main St., Uniontown. Required appointments: 724-941-1650.

n Uniontown Hospital will host an American Red Cross Blood Drive 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 18 in Community Room 2 in the main lobby of the hospital. Representatives from the American Red Cross will be on site to take blood donations. Appointments are not necessary, but can be made to ensure a specific donation time at 800-RED-CROSS.

n Excela Health is set to offer a wellness check diagnostic screening in partnership with the Scottdale Kiwanis from 6:30-9:30 a.m. March 16, at Christ United Methodist Church, 201 Market Street, Scottdale. Appointments may be scheduled by enrolling at www.excelahealth.org/WellnessChecks or contacting the Excela Health Call Center, 877-771-1234, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred to avoid delay. Cost of $45 includes detection of many potential health problems including anemia, bleeding disorders, electrolyte imbalance, diabetes, heart, kidney, liver, neuromuscular and parathyroid diseases. Included in the package is a comprehensive chemistry profile, lipid testing, and complete blood count. Additional blood screenings for thyroid disease (TSH), diabetes (Hemoglobin A1c), Vitamin D deficiency, Hepatitis C or prostate cancer (PSA) are available for an additional cost. A colorectal cancer screening kit is also available. Fasting is required for 8 hours before blood testing, although small amounts of water are permitted. Medications should be taken as prescribed.

n Excela Health is now offering Unplug and Recharge, 15-minute therapeutic sessions at each of the health system’s three hospitals as a way for families visiting a hospitalized loved one to receive care amid stressful circumstances. The sessions are held Tuesdays at Frick Hospital and use a few exercise and yoga techniques, but do not require strenuous physical movement. Sessions are free and open to the public and require no pre-registration. The Unplug and Recharge dates for Frick Hospital are March 5, 12, 19 and 26 in the Fourth Floor Board Room or Conference Room 1. Sessions are held in 15-minute increments between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

n Monongahela Valley Hospital will offer a free colorectal education and screening 1 p.m. March 20 in the education conference center. Health care professionals will provide information during the education portion of the presentation and hospital staff will explain and provide instructions for the take home colorectal screening kit. Seating is limited and advanced registration is required. Registration: 724-258-1333.

n Monongahela Valley Hospital will offer a Multiphasic Blood Analysis from 6-10 a.m. March 23 in the education conference center. This 37-function screening costs only $30 and is open to the public. Participants are asked to provide the full name and complete address of the physician to whom their test results will be sent afterwards. Testing is by appointment only. The deadline to register is March 20, and registrations must be made Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. by calling 724-258-1282.

n Monongahela Valley Hospital, The Orthopedic Group and the Center for Fitness and Health are providing an information series on orthopedics. The series continues at noon Apr. 11, with orthopedic surgeon, Eric Nabors, M.D., discussing “Disc Replacement.” At noon May 23 Anthony Cuneo, M.D., Ph.D., will present “Cryoneurolysis: Freeze Your Knee Pain Away.” The series concludes at noon June 13 with Mark Hofbauer, D.P.M., presenting “Achilles Tendon Injuries: Modern Diagnosis and Treatment.” All sessions are held in suite 120 of the Monongahela Valley Hospital HealthPlex. Each session is expected to last approximately one hour. Light refreshments will be provided at the free sessions, but registration is required. To register, call 724-379-5100.n

Support groups

n Breaking Addiction, HEAL Group for Men. This small group meeting for men is designed to help those who have a desire to overcome addictions and find a new direction in life. All sessions give instruction for practical life skills through Biblical Principles found in God’s Word. Discussion and interaction are encouraged at each group meeting. They are scheduled at 7 p.m. the first, second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Eagle Ranch Ministries Inc., 1579 Pleasant Valley Road, Mount Pleasant. Registration: 724-542-7243.

n Breaking Addiction, HEAL Group for Women. This small group meeting for women is designed to help those who have a desire to overcome addictions and find a new direction in life. All sessions give instruction for practical life skills through Biblical Principles found in God’s Word. Discussion and interaction are encouraged at each group meeting. The meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. every Tuesday at Eagle Ranch Ministries Inc., 1579 Pleasant Valley Road, Mount Pleasant. Registration: 724-244-5261 or 412-969-8520.

n Uniontown Hospital is offering a Stroke Support Group at 6 p.m., March 19 in Community Room 1 located in the Main Lobby of the hospital. Everyone is welcome. Stroke survivors, caregivers, loved ones and anyone interested in learning more about stroke. Monthly meetings will include a guest speaker, blood pressure readings, medication review and any other information requested. This month’s meeting will focus on nutrition and light refreshments will be provided. Call Andrea Lint, Stroke Coordinator, at 724-430-5341, for more information.

n Caregiver support group, 6:30-8:30 p.m., the fourth Wednesday of the month at Lafayette Manor. Classes meet in the new physical therapy department. Light refreshments are provided.

n A cancer grief group offered by Excela Health meets 2:30-4 p.m. every Thursday at Our Clubhouse, 4893 Route 30 East, Greensburg, for family and friends who have lost a loved one to cancer. Registration: www.excelahealth.org or 877-771-1234.

n The Monongahela Valley Hospital will offer a Alzheimer’s Support Group from 6-8 p.m. March 12 in the education conference center. This free support group meets once a month. It is designed to help the families, friends and caregivers of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Discussion topics include the challenges of coping with this disorder as well as techniques for managing stress and methods of encouraging social engagement. Reservations: 724-258-1333.

n Grief support group, 6-8 p.m. first Tuesday of every month, at the St. John the Evangelist Church on West Crawford Avenue in Connellsville. The group is a collaborative effort for those facing grief due to the loss of a loved one from addiction. Information: 724-628-6840.

n Al-Anon Family Groups, 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Trinity Church parlor, Fayette and Morgantown streets, Uniontown. Please enter at the handicapped ramp entrance. A second is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Christian Church, Pittsburgh Street, Connellsville. These meetings are for anyone who has been affected by or is having problems from someone else’s drinking. Information: al-anon.alateen.org or pa-al-anon.org.

n Survivors of Incest Anonymous group, 6:30-8 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month, excluding holidays. This 12-step recovery program is meant for men and women aged 18 or older who were sexually abused by a trusted person as a child. The group meets at the Mount Macrina Retreat Center. A similar group, Healing Friends, is from 6:30-7:30 p.m., East Liberty Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Information: peopleofcourage@gmail.com siawso.org, or healingfriends8@gmail.com.

n Missing Piece of My Heart support group, 6-8 p.m. the last Thursday of each month at the Crime Victim’s Center conference room in the Oliver Square Plaza. The group is for families who have lost a child to a violent crime. Information: 724-438-1470.

n The Monongahela Valley Hospital will be hosting a Suicide Bereavement Support Group from 1-2:30 p.m. March 25 in the education conference center. This support group is a four-month program that meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month. This program is led by a licensed psychologist and is free and open to all those touched by suicide. Required registration: 724-678-3601.

n The Monongahela Valley Hospital will be hosting the Better Breathers Club from 2-3 p.m. March 19 in the education conference center. The club offers the opportunity to learn ways to better cope with COPD while getting the support of others. The group helps give you the tools to live the best quality of life you can. Topics include how COPD affects your lungs as well as techniques and medications that can improve your quality of life. The unique Harmonicas for Health program helps people with COPD to improve breath control. Required registration: 724-258-1226.

n The Monongahela Valley Hospital will offer a Weight Control and Wellness Support Group at 6 p.m. March 25 in the education conference center. The bariatric support group activities are designed to reinforce key principles of success and help participants learn concepts that are sometimes difficult to grasp after bariatric surgery. Professionals such as dietitians, psychologists and fitness instructors may be invited to speak. The ultimate purpose of the support group is to help participants achieve and maintain their goal weights in a way that is as physically and mentally healthy as possible. Registration: 724-258-1333.

n Silver Generation Support Program, 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays, East End United Community Center, Uniontown. The program is for ages 55 and older. Information: 724-437-1660.

n The spring program for Stepping Stones Bereavement support is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. Mondays. It meets at the Fayette County Health Center, 100 New Salem Road, Uniontown. The program runs for 10 weeks with different topics being presented weekly. Anyone who is newly bereaved or is still having problems dealing with grief is invited to attend. There is no cost to participate. Information: 724-439-1683.

Courses

n Monongahela Valley hospital is hosting the course, Innovations in Medicine: “Advances in Foot and Ankle Treatment” at 6 p.m. March 26 in the education conference center. This education program is designed to educate you about Rediscovering the Knee. Mark Hofbauer, D.P.M., will discuss new advancements, symptoms and treatments of the foot. Registration: 724-258-1333.

n Monongahela Valley Hospital will be hosting “Managing Your Diabetes” 9-11 a.m. March 12 and 19 and 6-8 p.m. March 13 and 20 in the education conference center. This program is designed to help you with diabetes self-management. Topics include the importance of controlling your blood sugars, diabetes medications, lifestyle changes, meal planning and methods to reduce your risk of complications. The program is three consecutive days. Registration is required at least one week prior to the start date of class by calling 724-258-1483.

n Monongahela Valley Hospital will be hosting Talk With a Doc: “What is Diabetes and How Can it Affect Your Feet?” at 12:30 p.m. March 21 at the Monongahela YMCA with Dr. Mark Hofbauer. He will also discuss the very newest in standards of care and protocols for Diabetes and how it can affect your feet. Registration: 724-258-1333.

n The Monongahela Valley Hospital is hosting an “American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED” course 8 a.m. to noon March 26 in the education conference center. Adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR/AED) classes are offered by Monongahela Valley Hospital. Cost is $50. Registration: 724-258-1333.

n Monongahela Valley Hospital will host the “American Heart Association Family and Friends CPR/AED” program 4 to 6 p.m. March 26 in the education conference center. This course is designed for the layperson that has little or no medical training, and is taught by a certified instructor. This course is for people who do not need a certification card for a job. Content includes an orientation to CPR for adult, child, infants, choking and use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Cost of this course is $35 to cover the cost of the book, which includes a class participation card.

n Exercise classes, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Center in the Woods, 130 Woodland Court, Brownsville. Classes include chair dancing at 9:30 a.m. followed by healthy steps at 11 a.m. Information: 724-938-3554.