Here Is This Year’s Health Awareness Event Calendar
More and more members and their families are coming to realize that people who eat well, refrain from smoking, get plenty of exercise and deal well with stress live longer, happier, and healthier lives. This isn’t just a theory, it is now an established medical fact. Indeed, people who eat well, refrain from smoking, get plenty of exercise and deal well with stress end up getting sick far less often than the general population. They require hospitalization far less often than others, too. And they develop fewer diseases, illnesses and conditions such as CPOD, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, gout and many, many others. In fact, all health experts agree that one of the best ways to lower health care costs in the U.S. is by increasing health awareness. This is an important fact to remember as we announce the Health Centers’ Health Awareness Events Calendar for 2014.
As we all know, the Health Centers’ Health Awareness Events have grown greatly in popularity over the years, with some weeks drawing in excess of 3,000 or even 4,000 visits. As a result, it has become a tradition to provide a preview for members around this time of the year. In this way everyone knows in advance the dates of this year’s Health Awareness Events and can plan ahead.
The value of each of these Health Awareness Events cannot be denied since they are designed specifically for the populations they serve. Each of the events listed in this article can help ensure the future good health of all that attend. Each of these Health Awareness Events provides participants with not only valuable education but also peace of mind. And, as we have learned often in the past, some of these events can even save lives. Best of all, no appointments are necessary to attend any of the following 2014 Health Awareness Events, along with two other important activities at the Health Centers, flu shots and smoking cessation classes:
• Flu vaccines. It’s no secret that New York and 34 other states are currently experiencing a flu epidemic. That’s why you should know that it is not too late to get a flu shot, especially since this season’s epidemic is expected to last well into April. Flu vaccines really do help in the fight against the flu, an illness that can have a particularly devastating impact on infants, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems or respiratory illnesses. Flu shots are still being administered at the Health Centers — without appointments being necessary. Even members who use out-of-area medical coverage can use the Health Centers for flu shots — without appointments being necessary.
• Eat Well, Feel Well and Be Well. Nutrition is one of the keys to good health, and this important lesson is delivered to members during the Eat Well, Fell Well, Be Well event. Besides telling you what foods you should eat and what foods you should avoid, this popular Health Awareness Event can also show you that healthy eating can also be tasty eating! In recent years science has learned more and more about the facts that diet and exercise play crucial roles in our overall health. That’s why Eat Well, Feel Well, Be Well can really make a difference for you and your family members. It provides solid, easy-to-follow tips on keeping in good health throughout the year. This year the event is scheduled at the Dental and Health Centers for the week of March 24-28. The “Eat Well” portion of this event refers to good nutrition and explains how diet plays a major part in determining how healthy we are. The “Feel Well” portion of the event refers to exercise. Most people know that proper diet and exercise can greatly eliminate the risk of strokes and heart attacks. But there is also much evidence in recent years to show that good nutrition and regular exercise can drastically reduce the chances of many other problems including cancer. In addition, regular exercise has been known to be extremely effective in preventing depression and sleeplessness. The “Be Well” portion of the event refers to heart health. Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.? It is, and making matters worse is that it is often a silent killer. Many people with heart disease don’t know they have it. But by visiting any of the Health Centers during the week of March 24-28, any time between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., members will be able to learn how to prevent heart disease and other illnesses associated with poor diets and a lack of exercise. All of us should take advantage of all the benefits of eating well, feeling well and being well. A good way to do so is by visiting any of the Health Centers or Dental Centers for the Eat Well, Feel Well and Be Well Health Awareness Event the week of March 24-28. As with all Health Awareness Events, no appointments are necessary.
• Seniors’ Days will mark its 14th anniversary as a Health Awareness Event this year. It will take place over four days — one day in each of the four Health Centers. The retired members of our Union that have attended Seniors’ Day in the last few years have reported that they have found it to be an extremely valuable and pleasant experience. The event is once again open to all seniors who are eligible to use the Health Centers. Seniors’ Days will be held Tuesday, May 13th, at the Midtown Health Center, Wednesday, May 14th, at the Brooklyn Health Center, Thursday, May 15th, at the Harlem Health Center, and Friday, May 16th, at the Queens Health Center. Seniors that are eligible to use the Health Centers are asked to attend the event at the Health Center that they use regularly. The staffs at the Health Centers look forward to this event, and light refreshments, souvenirs and gift bags will be available to all that attend. Again, no appointments will be necessary to attend Seniors’ Days, but members must be Health Center eligible and must attend the event at the facility they use regularly.
• Kids’ Days is beginning to rival the nnual holiday party for children as the most anticipated youth event on the Union’s annual calendar of activities. It’s always one of the most popular events of the year, drawing enough members and their children to warrant it to take place over three different days. The idea behind Kids’ Days is to introduce children to visits with doctors and dentists. Since Kids’ Days makes these visits fun, it eliminates in many children the fear that they usually associate with doctors and dentists. The truth is that Kids’ Days visits can make a positive impression on children, one that can indeed last a lifetime. Kids’ Days has also proved to be quite popular with parents, because it is the best way to introduce children to the medical and dental services that are available to them. There’s one other important note about Kids’ Days: the event allows parents to obtain the necessary health paperwork that their children will need when they return to school in September. That’s one reason why the event is always scheduled in the summer. The other reason, of course, is to take advantage of children being off from school so that they can attend Kids’ Day without missing class. This year is no different, with Kids’ Days scheduled at the Dental and Health Centers for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, August 13, 14 and 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. No appointments are necessary.
• Men’s Health Awareness Week will be held at Dental and Health Centers Monday, October 6 through Friday, October 10, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. As Hotel Voice has reported in the past, the value of Men’s Health Awareness Week cannot be emphasized enough because of the benefits it can provide. Those benefits have been well documented in the past. A number of men who have attended past Men’s Health Awareness Weeks have been found to be in the early stages of different types of cancer. But because early detection is the greatest weapon against cancer these men were able to be treated successfully and now have a normal life expectancy. Other men were found to have high blood pressure without having shown any visible signs or physical effects. This, too, can be considered life-saving because high blood pressure can easily lead to strokes and heart attacks. These are just some examples of why Men’s Health Awareness Week is such an important event. Men can walk into the Health and Dental Centers without an appointment any time between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. from Monday, October 6 through Friday, October 10 to take advantage of the benefits of this very valuable Health Awareness Event.
• Women’s Health Awareness Week allows women, age 20 or older, to visit the Health or Dental Centers any day they choose during the week-long event without an appointment. Screenings will be available to determine if there are potential problems with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, as well as breast, cervical, colon-rectal, oral and skin cancers. Screening is essential for early detection of illnesses. Education is also a key ingredient in maintaining good health. Women’s Health Week will offer an opportunity for education on breast self-examination, birth control, menopause, family planning, nutrition, exercise, high blood pressure and skin care. Other health issues that affect women will also be addressed, including stress management and smoking cessation. As with other Health Awareness Events, the focus of Women’s Health Week is to keep our members and their families healthy. This year’s Women’s Health Week will be held Monday, November 3 through Friday, November 7. Women members can visit the Health and Dental Centers any of those days without an appointment and take advantage of the benefits offered by this Health Awareness Event.
• Quit Smoking Classes. As most members know, the Health Centers’ Quit Smoking Program has been successful enough to earn an award from the New York City Department of Health. Participants who attend group classes and see their doctor can receive free nicotine gum, lozenges, patches, or prescription medication to assist in kicking the habit. Individual smoking cessation help is also available. For more information on smoking cessation, contact the Members Health Assistance Program (MHAP) at 212-237-3037.
The Health Awareness Events scheduled throughout this year are designed to ensure the good health of you and your family members. For this reason we ask you to note the dates of the events, and we certainly hope that you and your families will take advantage of them.
