Educational programs, health screenings and safety workshops aim to improve community wellness.
Prevention is the key to a long and healthy life, and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus (MMCSC) makes it easy with a wide range of programs. Adults 55 and older can join the Better Health Senior Membership program, which provides access to free screenings, exercise classes, health education, social events and more. There are yoga, meditation and Zumba classes, as well as programs on healthy eating, stress management and relaxation techniques, diabetes management, and communicating with your physician.
MMCSC offers support groups for caregivers, grandparents raising grandchildren, people who are grieving the loss of a loved one, and cancer patients. “Since many caregivers don’t have time to come for a support group, we have a call-in group,” says Jean McKinney, Regional Director of Community Health Education, Monmouth Medical Center and MMCSC.
The call-ins for the Cancer Support Community take place from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month.
Prioritizing Safety
Parents and kids can benefit from annual safety programs given by Safe Kids, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent childhood injuries through education. Monmouth Medical Center is the lead organization for Safe Kids Monmouth/Ocean, the local coalition. This spring, there will be a workshop on helmet, bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Experts will discuss bike helmet fitting, as well as the rules of the road. A class geared for grandparents, which will be held in the summer, will focus on water safety and sunscreen use. Free health screenings are offered on the second Wednesday of every month. Tests focus on memory, blood glucose (for diabetes), blood pressure, bone density and body mass index.
For a fee, MMCSC also provides vascular and low-dose CT scan lung screenings for people who may be at risk for cardiovascular disease and lung cancer, respectively. These screenings support our community needs through education, early detection and prevention. “Our goal is to prevent
illness through screening and education,” says McKinney.
For more information about our programs, services and screenings, call 888.726.2362