National Public Health Week

April 4-10 is National Public Health Week.  Join Affinia Healthcare, Gateway to Better Health, and MOHealthNet to celebrate!


Wednesday, April 6, 2016
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
1717 Biddle St.
St. Louis MO 63106

Health screenings and education
Assist Wireless Communication
St. Louis Metro Market - Food demo
Breakthrough Home-Health Services
St. Louis Job Corps
West End Chiropractic and Rehab Center
Equal Housing Opportunity Appointments
Urban League Head Start
Community resources
Chronic disease information
Health and wellness information
Dental information
Marketplace Exchange assistance

For more information call Dave at 314.814.8630

SLAAA and MEAAA study

Are you 65 years of age or older?
Are you someone who has fallen in the last 12 months or are worried about falling in the future?

If you answered YES to these questions, you may be eligible to participate in a home hazard removal research study!!

Participants will receive a $5 grocery gift card each month for 12 months and may be eligible for free home modifications.

Susan Stark, in cooperation with the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging and the Mid East Area Agency on Aging, is seeking participants for a study to determine the effectiveness of a home hazard removal program to reduce falls in older adults.

Please contact Jane 314.932.1011 for more information.

Fall prevention

Falls, as the greatest cause of traumatic brain injury, are something to be avoided.  There are other possible consequences as well, and therefore it is important to work on maintaining and improving balance.  Exercising and maintaining core strength are key (though there are different balance disorders, and treatments vary depending on the cause).  Walking and balance classes can both be helpful.  NIHSeniorHealth has a site on balance, with pages addressing causes, symptoms, treatment, and frequently asked questions.

The St. Louis Public Library has great stuff to check out such as Beginning t'ai chi by Tri Thong Dang, the DVD Intro to T'ai Chi: 9 beginner flows to balance mind, body and spirit, and Core strength for 50+: a customized program for safely toning ab, back & oblique muscles by Karl Knopf.

Brain Injury Awareness Month

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month.  According to the Brain Injury Association of America, each year an estimated 2.4 million children and adults in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and another 795,000 individuals sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) from nontraumatic causes.  Brain controls every aspect of our being -- including emotions, thinking, memory, and personality -- and brain injury impacts not just the individual, but also family members and loved ones.

The Missouri Institute of Mental Health has a video with Dr. Tom Martin of UMissouri-Columbia, which gives an overview of traumatic brain injury.  Link here.  Falls are the greatest cause of traumatic brain injury, though traffic accidents and sports injuries also contribute.

The Brain Injury Association of Missouri's mission is "to reduce the incidence of brain injury; to promote acceptance, independence, and productivity of persons with brain injury; and to support their families."  Their website is full of resources for support and information.

Some books at SLPL that address brain injury:

• The traumatized brain: a family guide to understanding mood, memory, and behavior after brain injury by Vani Rao, MBBS, MD, and Sandeep Vaishnavi, MD, PhD
• Coping with concussion and mild traumatic brain injury: a guide to living with the challenges associated with post concussion syndrome and brain trauma by Diane Roberts Stoler, Ed.D., and Barbara Albers Hill
• Living with brain injury: a guide for patients and families by Richard C. Senelick
• For kids: What you need to know about concussions by Kristine Carlson Asselin
• Concussion by Jeanne Marie Laskas
• Traumatic brain injury: from concussion to coma by Connie Goldsmith

Equipment to borrow

St. Louis HELP is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which takes donations of health-related equipment, and loans it out free of charge to residents in the St. Louis area.  Visit their website to learn more about donating or borrowing.

Autism Information Fair

Exploring the Spectrum

Presented by United Services for Children

Register and find more information at this link.

FREE!

• Information tables
• Autism resources
• Therapist-led breakout sessions on Speech/language, Feeding, Behavior, Accessing Community Resources
• Guest speakers Dr. Rolanda Maxim Gott and Bobbi Sheahan

Saturday 2 April 2016

8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Spencer Road Library Commons

427 Spencer Road, St. Peters MO 63376

For more information contact Raymond Castile, 636.926.2700, rcastile@unitedsrvcs.org

Menopause alternatives

Red clover, soy, black cohosh, DHEA, hypnotherapy, meditation, acupuncture, and yoga.  What do these have in common?  They are all used to address symptoms of menopause.  The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) has compiled the latest research into the efficacy of these methods.  Check it out here.

For books, the St. Louis Public Library has everything from 50 tips to help you through the menopause by Anna Barnes to 100 best foods for menopause.

Medicaid expansion in Missouri

From the Missouri Medicaid Coalition:

Mark your calendars! March 17th is the Rally for Justice

SAVE THE DATE   RALLY FOR JUSTICE AT THE CAPITOL THURSDAY, MARCH 17TH 10 AM-2 PM  Transportation will be provided from St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield. More details/RSVP coming soon! ANOTHER HOSPITAL TO CLOSE:  The Southeast Health Center of Reynolds County is set to close on March 11th. This is the third hospital to close in Missouri in the last two years. The closure of the hospital leaves residents with a 45 minute drive in any direction to get to the next nearest hospital. It is time for the Missouri Legislature to do the right thing and expand Medicaid. Take Action Now.    Medicaid Expansion in the News: Columbia Tribune: Expand Medicaid to help domestic violence survivors St. Louis American: Time to expand Medicaid St. Louis Post Dispatch: Divorcing politics from health care Columbia Missourian: Inaction on Medicaid has heavy impact on women

Medical records and HIPAA

New HIPAA guidelines have been announced, and it is now possible to ask for copies of your health records without giving a reason.  Records can be sent by mail or email, and must be sent within 30 days of a request.