Health briefs/calendar 4/27/06

Briefly

First autism walk scheduled to take place on Saturday

Ethan & Friends for Autism's first Walk for Autism will begin with registration at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Osage Community Centre in Cape Girardeau.

There will be food, prizes such as gift certificates, a raffle and games, all in support of local families dealing with autism.

For more information, contact Dena Petzoldt at 243-0979.

Southeast nurses named to MLN board of directors

Gwen Thoma, RN, director of education services and Susan Lewis, RN, nurse manager of cardiac progressive -- both nurses at Southeast Missouri Hospital -- were installed recently to offices with the Missouri League for Nursing at the group's annual convention held at Tan-Tar-A Resort.

Thoma was installed as treasurer for the MLN, and will serve a two-year term of officers on the MLN board of directors. She is also a member of the American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau and Southeast Missouri AHEC. She received her BSN from Southeast Missouri State University.

Lewis was installed as chair of the nominating committee. She is also a member of the American Organization for Nurse Executives, SEMO Chapter and Missouri Organization of Nurse Leaders, AACN and Sigma Theta Tau.

She received her diploma from Lutheran Medical Center in St. Louis and her BSN from Southeast Missouri State University.

Saint Francis to offer two free screenings during May

Saint Francis Medical Center is offering free stroke and vascular screenings in May.

In conjunction with Life Line Screening, the hospital will hold a free vascular disease screening from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 12 in the Health and Wellness Center conference room, 150 S. Mount Auburn Road. The screening is free to qualified individuals at risk for vascular disease.

People who may be at risk should call (866) 220-7283 for a brief evaluation to confirm the need to be screened.

The stroke screening and risk assessment will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 13 inside Westfield West Park near J.C. Penney. The free screening is provided by the Saint Francis Stroke Center and the Saint Francis Foundation. To schedule a screening appointment, call 331-5877.

In addition, a limited number of free cholesterol screenings are available to individuals age 50 and over. Appointments are required and participants must fast for 10 to 12 hours prior to their appointment.

MLN offers workshops concerning the elderly

The Missouri League for Nursing will offer a workshop concerning intimacy in the elderly May 16 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau and May 17 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, north campus.

The purpose for the workshop is to raise the issues presented by the needs of long-term care residents for intimate relationships and sexual expression and to discuss a recently-published set of guidelines on these issues.

Don Reynolds, JD, principal of the Center for Practical Bioethics Long-Term Care and Policy Resource Center, will be the workshop presenter.

For information, call the MLN at (573) 635-5355.

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Survey to study medical costs, quality across the nation

The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a nationwide study conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service, is in its 11th year of collecting data regarding the use, cost and quality of health care in the United States.

Each year, approximately 9,000 households across the county are scientifically selected to participate in the study. The households are notified by mail of their selection. Each selected household represents thousands of other similar households, and through their participation help researchers compile a comprehensive picture of how Americans use and pay for health care.

More information about the study is available at www.meps. ahrq.gov.

Calendar

Today

"Ask Your Doctor," 8 to 9 p.m., medical call-in show. Dr. Robert Perry will discuss venostasis ulcers. To phone in a question, call 334-3095.

Seeds of Hope, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Assisi Room at Saint Francis Medical Center. For people dealing with the death of a loved one. For information, call 331-5118.

Grief support group, 7 to 9 p.m., Conference Room A at Saint Francis Education Center. For information, call 651-4617.

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

Friday

Muscular Dystrophy support group, 10:30 a.m. to noon, HealthPoint Plaza conference room.

Monday

Free blood pressure screening, 12:45 to 1:30 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church. For information, call Southeast's Generations Center at 651-5825.

Brain injury resource group, 6:30 p.m., HealthPoint Plaza. Christy Margrabe from Southeast Outpatient Rehabilitation will teach about aquatic exercise. For information, call 651-5825.

Tuesday

Breast-feeding class, 3-5 p.m., Southeast's Generations Family Resource Center. To register, call 651-5825.

Mended Hearts, 6 p.m., for heart patients and their families, Generations Family Resource Center. Nurse Denise Lambert will discuss metabolic syndrome. For information, call 651-5824.

Bosom Buddies, 6:30-8:30 p.m., HealthPoint Plaza, for women with breast cancer. For information, call 651-5825.

Explorer Post 4077, 7 p.m., Harrison room at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Jay Wolz from Southeast's Marketing and Communication Department will discuss healthcare marketing. For information, call 651-5825l.