Health briefs/calendar 1/26/06

Briefly

Public health center announces WIC program extended through 2006

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center has announced that a contract to continue to provide WIC services for federal fiscal year 2006 has been signed with the Missouri Department of Health. Under the terms of the contract, the health department will be able to serve 1,490 people eligible for WIC every month. WIC, a special supplemental food program, provides at no cost specific nutritious supplemental foods and nutrition education to pregnant and breast-feeding women, postpartum teens, infants and children under age 5. Participants who meet WIC income guidelines and are determined by health professionals to be at nutritional risk are eligible to participate. WIC is available to anyone regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or handicap. People interested in applying or who need more information should contact the health center at 335-4330.

National MS Society chapter sponsors Valentine luncheon

The National MS Society Gateway Area Chapter is helping couples with MS to create a richer, more satisfying relationship by sponsoring a special Couple's Valentine Luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. Feb. 11 at Francine's Gardens in Cape Girardeau. A registered therapist will led discussions on communication, cooperation, compromise and acceptance in a private, relaxed atmosphere. She will help participants learn to recognize and release negative behaviors and develop tools to support open communication. Registration deadline is Feb. 8; call (800) 344-4867 or register online at www.gatewaymssociety.org.

Missouri League for Nursing planning to hold workshop on massage

"Therapeutic Massage: Benefits of Touch in the Elderly" is an upcoming workshop sponsored by the Missouri League For Nursing. Area professionals can participate in this workshop Feb. 7 at Three Rivers Community College, Bess Student Center conference room in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The workshop will introduce the benefits of massage and therapeutic touch in a geriatric setting and will enable caregivers to use therapeutic touch to improve quality of life and are for residents in a long-term care setting. Jacquie Bodkin, program director for Richland Care Center, will present the workshop. Interested persons may register online at www.monursing.org or by contacting the MLN at (573) 635-5355. The program is approved for contact hours that vary for various professional requirements.

Scott County Heath Center schedules community outreach clinics

The Scott County Health Department will offer community outreach clinics throughout February. Services include but are not limited to, immunizations, blood pressure screenings, family planning and TB testing. Clinics will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each week at the Oran Jaycee Building Feb. 1; First Assembly of God Church in Scott City, Feb. 8; Elks Lodge in Chaffee, Feb. 15 and Riverside Regional Library in Benton Feb. 22. For more information, call (800) 471-4044.

Calendar

Today

"Ask Your Doctor," 8 to 9 p.m. cable Channel 5. Local health-care professionals discuss current, relevant medical issues and encourage viewers to phone in their questions. This week, Dr. Brian Schafer will discuss micro nail and wrist fractures. To phone in a question, call 334-3095.

Newborn Massage, 10-11 a.m., Generations Family Resource Center at Southeast Missouri Hospital. To register, call 651-5825.

Grief Support Group, 7 to 9 p.m., Conference Room A in the Saint Francis Education Center. For information, call 651-4617.

-- From staff reports