Here Is the 2016 Health Awareness Events Calendar

It is not a theory, it is medical fact: People who engage in good nutrition, refrain from smoking, exercise regularly and deal well with stress live longer, happier, and healthier lives.

We want to emphasize that this is not a theory; it is now an established medical fact! 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 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 throughout 2016, when once again the Health Centers Health Awareness Events that can really make a difference in our lives.

As we all know, the Health Centers’ Health Awareness Events have grown greatly in popularity over the years. With this growing interest among our membership, it has become a tradition to provide a preview of Health Awareness Events for members around this time of the year, so that everyone knows in advance the dates they will take place this year and everyone can plan ahead.

The value of each of these Health Awareness Events cannot be denied, especially since they are designed specifically for the populations they serve. Each of the 2016 health awareness events can help ensure the future good health of all that attend. Each of these health and wellness fairs provides participants with not only valuable education but also peace of mind. And, as we have learned so often in the past, some of these events can even save lives. Members participating in health awareness events in the past learned they had high blood pressure. Early warning signs of cancer have been detected. Smokers and overweight members have been enrolled in programs to help them—adding many years to their lives.

“These special events bring individualized attention to members and their families, and they are an excellent way to put many on the road to good health,” says Benefit Fund Chief Executive Officer Dr. Robert Greenspan. “These events encourage members to participate personally in achieving better health. It is not an exaggeration to say that those who participate in our annual health awareness events can lead longer, healthier and happier lives.”

With all these good reasons for members and their families to take part in the upcoming 2016 health awareness events, there is one other factor to make attendance convenient and easy: Remember, no appointments are necessary to attend any of the 2016 Health Awareness Events that follow:

• Healthy Lifestyle Week. Nutrition is one of the keys to good health, and this is one of the important lessons delivered to members during Healthy Lifestyle Week. 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 diet and exercise playing crucial roles in our overall health. That’s why Healthy Lifestyle Week 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 14-18. This event will explain how diet plays a major part in determining how healthy we are, as does 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. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., 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 14-18, 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. As with all Health Awareness Events, no appointments are necessary to participate in Healthy Lifestyle Week.
• Seniors’ Days will mark its 16th anniversary as a Health Awareness Event in 2016. 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’ Days 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 24th, at the Midtown Health Center, Wednesday, May 25th, at the Brooklyn Health Center, Thursday, May 26th, at the Harlem Health Center, and Friday, May 27th, 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 every year, and, once again this year, 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 the most anticipated youth event on the Union’s annual calendar of activities, drawing enough members and their children to warrant it taking 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 17, 18 and 19, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. No appointments are necessary.
• Men’s Health Week will be held at Dental and Health Centers Monday, September 26 through Friday, September 30, 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 Week cannot be emphasized enough, particularly 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 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 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, September 26 through Friday, September 30 to take advantage of the benefits of this very valuable Health Awareness Event.
• Women’s Health 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, October 24 through Friday, October 28. 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 Sessions are available throughout the year and members can participate through either group or individual sessions. There are also prescription treatments that have been successful in helping smokers to control their addiction to nicotine. For more information on kicking the smoking habit members should contact the Members Health Assistance Program (MHAP) at 212-237-3037 or speak with their primary care physicians at the Health Centers.

The Health Awareness Events scheduled throughout this year are designed to ensure the good health of members and their families. For this reason we suggest that members note the dates of this year’s events, and we urge all to participate in them.