MS Society offers support in Spanish
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society hosts Café con Leche, a free monthly telephone-support group conducted in Spanish for people living with MS.
Each session runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays through June. The group is led by experts with the National MS Society and gives participants the opportunity to discuss a range of topics, such as symptoms, treatment choices and family issues.
Café con Leche will offer an educational program on Tuesday called “Choosing a Treatment Plan: Making an Informed Decision,” featuring Dr. Gabriel Pardo, director of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, in Oklahoma City.
The society offers brochures in Spanish in addition to the quarterly “Conexion Latina,” which offers education and resources in both Spanish and English.
Dr. Maria Reyes-Velarde, a physician who lives with MS, also maintains an MS blog at www.hablemosdeem.com.
For more information, to register for Café con Leche, to order “Conexion Latina” or to talk with a Spanish-speaking MS navigator, call (800) 344-4867 and select option No. 3.
Community Challenge to be held March 14
The fourth annual Community Challenge: Meeting the Needs of Seniors, Providers and Caregivers will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 14 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.
Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. The keynote speaker will be Viki Kind, clinical bioethicist, author of The Caregiver’s Path to Compassionate Decision Making: Making Choices for Those Who Can’t.
Topics will include: building positive outcomes for seniors and their families, practical methods for making tough caregiving decisions, understanding medical advance directives to avoid a crisis, dementia and Alzheimer’s care and support and more.
To register, visit www.planetreg.com/2014%20Caregiver%20Conference or call Erin Youngblood at 884-0101.
Adult day care will be provided by Adult Day Care at Our Place at the Durango/La Plata Senior Center. To register for this free service, call 884-0101.
Colon cancer month aims to raise awareness
March is colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon cancer, month.
Beginning at age 50, both men and women are at risk for colorectal cancer and need colorectal screening.
Early colorectal cancer often has no symptoms. There are several options for screening. Insurance plans and Medicare are now required to cover preventive health services like colorectal screening.
Families that have a history of colorectal cancer – or even colon polyps – are at an increased risk and should talk with their health-care providers about getting screened before age 50.
Two websites can help people assess their risk for colorectal cancer and document family health history: https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/fhh-web/home.action or http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/awareness/prevention/risk.
Lifestyle choices can help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, including regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes per day four days a week), not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption and a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Apple Days Festival receives award
San Juan Basin Health Department, supporting the Celebrating Healthy Communities Coalition, awarded its “Seal of Approval” to Growing Partners of Southwest Colorado for hosting a safe and healthy community event in La Plata County.
Growing Partners annually hosts the Apple Days Festival, which is free for all participants and includes cider pressing, local food, a kids’ fun zone, educational booths and live music.
The organizers will be awarded their Seal of Approval on March 19 at their steering committee meeting.
The Celebrating Healthy Communities Coalition presents the Seal of Approval to any nominated organization that holds a public event that is alcohol-free, appropriate for children and/or families and is affordable for all participants.
For more information or to nominate a group, visit http://sjbhd.org/celebrating-healthy-communities or email Kara Collins at kcollins@sjbhd.org.
Heart Safe La Plata announces classes
Heart Safe La Plata will offer these classes at the Durango Fire Protection District training room, 142 Sheppard Drive:
An adult CPR/AED course will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday. This course will cost $50 and provides a two-year certification.
CPR PRO for Healthcare Professional will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. March 13. This course will cost $65 and covers adult, child and infant CPR.
Online CPR and first-aid training is available to the community. Participants can sign up for the class, take the online course then schedule the hands-on skills portion (about one hour). A two-year certification will be awarded. The cost for either CPR or basic first aid will be $50.
Instructors are available to teach at businesses or organizations.
For more information, visit www.heartsafelaplata.org or call J. T. Coyne at 769-7473.
Hospice of Mercy offers grief support group
Hospice of Mercy will offer a grief support group for adults who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
The group is a safe, confidential, supportive place to find ways to cope with the experience of grief.
Topics will include grief education, coping with grief, anniversaries and special days and normalizing feelings.
Meetings will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays beginning Thursday and continuing for eight to 10 weeks at First United Methodist Church, 2917 Aspen Drive. Participation is free, and group size is limited to 10.
To register, call Kati Bachman at 382-2032.
Health insurance event to help people enroll
The Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center will partner with Connect For Health Colorado to help residents register and enroll online for health insurance coverage during a “Walk-In Enrollment” event from 8 a.m. to noon and again from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.
The deadline to enroll for health coverage through Connect for Health Colorado is March 31. No reservations are required.
Licensed health insurance brokers and certified health coverage guides from both San Juan Basin Health Department and La Plata Family Center will be available during each session to help the public apply for and purchase health insurance on Colorado’s health insurance marketplace, Connect For Health Colorado.
The guides and brokers will answer questions, find out if people qualify for discounted health insurance and help people understand and choose a health plan.
Participants are encouraged to have a copy of their most recent tax return and household income estimate for 2014.
The afternoon session will include assistance in Spanish.
Pine River Shares receives award
San Juan Basin Health Department, supporting the Celebrating Healthy Communities Coalition, awarded its “Seal of Approval” to Pine River Shares for hosting a safe and healthy community event in Bayfield.
Pine River Shares hosts a free monthly community potluck and food drive the fourth Saturday of each month for people who live in the Bayfield to Vallecito area.
This event contributes to positive social norms in the county and gives young people positive opportunities for involvement. The organizers were awarded their framed Seal of Approval certificate during the February dinner.
The coalition presents its Seal of Approval to any nominated organization holding a public event that is alcohol-free, appropriate for children and/or families and is affordable for all participants.
For more information or to nominate a group, visit http://sjbhd.org/celebrating-healthy-communities or email Kara Collins at kcollins@sjbhd.org.
Herald Staff
