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Category: Health & Fitness

  • PUBLIC FORUM ON OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

    FRAMINGHAM,MA — Our Health Care System: Diagnosis & Treatment Options: Why can’t we have a health care system that works for the patient?

    Announcing: A Public Forum on the Health Care Crisis at the Framingham Public Library,49 Lexington St.,Framingham Mass on Thursday October 15, 2009 from 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm.

    Dr. Gordon Schiff, M.D., a physician and past president of Physicians for a National Health Plan (PNHP), will speak at a public forum to be held at the Framingham public library. Dr. Schiff will address the facts and fantasies surrounding a National Health Plan. Everyone is invited. There will be an hour for questions and answers.

    This forum is for people to ask questions about the proposed health care plan and learn how it will affect them. Our intention is for people to come away with a better understanding about the facts and what they can do to make their voices heard and their representatives to listen.

    This forum is sponsored by MetroWest Mass-Care, and the Nightingales.

    For further information send an email to: nightingales@meganet.net


  • Learn the “Food Allergy Fundamentals”

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Learn the “basics” about living with food allergies in your family, including how to prevent and handle severe allergy emergencies, on Wednesday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Metro-West Allergy and Asthma Educational Support Group meeting, which is held at Allergy & Asthma Treatment Specialists, 475 Franklin St., Framingham. The program is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required. There will be time for questions and discussion.

    “There are a growing number of people with allergies to peanuts and many other foods”, says Sharon Schumack, Director of Education for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, New England Chapter, which is sponsoring this meeting. It will feature a presentation by Framingham allergist Stuart Rhein, M.D., and practical tips from support group leaders Linda Drews and Lori Brockway, “veterans” of managing food allergies at school, child care, and in their homes.

    AAFA New England organizes educational support group programs throughout the region, publishes a newsletter, and runs a telephone resource and referral line for people coping with allergies and asthma. For more information, or free a free copy of “Eating Out with Food Allergies,” call (781)444-7778 or see www.asthmaandallergies.org.

  • CALLAHAN SENIOR CENTER HAPPENINGS FOR OCTOBER 2009

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — Here’s what’s happening at the Callahan in October:

    Tuesday, October 6th at 11:00 am, Kimberly Sambuchi, of Framingham Cooperative Bank will be here conducting a presentation on Online Banking.

    Wednesday, October 7th from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon at the Callahan Center – This is the first session of a talk on fall prevention. The talk will provide six simple steps to help prevent falls. A light snack will be provided. Come to this program and get the facts to keep right side up. Learn how to reduce your risk of falling, prevent injury and remain safe at home!

    Thursday, October 8th, 2009 at 10:30 am at Callahan Center –“Staying Healthy; Staying Fit” — Discussion: Maintaining Your Cardiovascular Health”.

    Thursday, October 8th at 3:00 pm, we will have Officers Dolores Coots and Debi Nau from the Framingham Police Department at the Center to conduct an 8-week self-defense course.

    Tuesday, October 13th at 11:00 am, Linda Sakin, a Hard of Hearing Independent Living Specialist, will be at the Center conducting a presentation “How to Shop for a Hearing Aid”.

    Friday, October 16th – The third annual Health Information Forum for Portuguese-speaking Seniors will be held at the Callahan Center. Important health and health insurance issues will be discussed. It is being organized by the Metrowest SHINE Program, the Hudson Senior Center and the Marlborough Senior Center. All presentations will be done in Portuguese. Reservations are required, as space is limited. Call Ana at the Hudson Senior Center (978-568-9638) or Ana Cristina at the Marlborough Senior Center (508-485-6492). This event is completely free!

    Monday, October 19th at 9:30-11:00 am, come join in on the fun with artist, Susan Chicco, and create an incredible work of art out of a picture frame. Make it your own by using the creative art form: decoupage. Decoupage is the art or technique of cutting out pictures or designs from paper or other material and applying them to a surface. Seating is limited to 10 people.

    Monday, October 19th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm – FREE bone density screening for osteoporosis with the VNACare Network. An appointment is necessary.

    Monday, October 19th at 1:00 pm – The Friends of Callahan will hold their next general meeting with entertainment provided by Mel Simons and his one-man show!

    Tuesday, October 20th at 11:00 am, Lisa Rohmer from Framingham Cooperative Bank will be here conducting a presentation on Reverse Mortgages.

    The Callahan Center offers a number of courses including Introduction to the PC, Intermediate PC, Internet and Email, MS Word, and Photoshop. All are 4-day a month courses and the donation is $20.00. If interested, please call Robert Kyriakakis, Computer Center Coordinator, at 508-532-5983.

    Thursday, November 12, 2009 – 2010 Day Trips Travel Show Presentation from 10 am – 12 Noon
    Tuesday, November 17, 2009 – COLLETTE TRAVEL SHOW for 2010 Europe & Beyond Trips from
    10:00 am – 12:00 pm (with light refreshments) Be the first to know about our 2010 Overnight Trips!!!

    Support Groups at Callahan Senior Center: Bereavement Support Group: Mondays, October 5, 19 & 26 at 10:00 am. Center Closed for Columbus Day holiday. ‘Better Breathers’ Support Group: Wednesday, October 14 at 12:00 noon. Caregivers’ Support Group: Please note new date and time- last Wednesday of the month—October 28 at 2:30 pm. Diabetes Support Group: Tuesday, October 27 at 10:00 am. Grandparent Support Group: Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 pm. Please call the Center to confirm in the event of a change. Low Vision Group: Friday, October 16 at 1:00 pm. Massage Therapy: Thursdays, October 1 &15 (by appt. only).

    Parkinson’s Support Group: Tuesday, October 20 at 1:30 pm. Podiatry: Wed., October 14 with Dr. John 12:30 – 4:00 pm & Wed., October 28, with Dr. Lukoff from 1:00 – 3:30 pm (by appt. only). Stroke Survivors’ Support Group: Monday, October 5 at 1:00 pm.

    BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC – Wednesdays, October 7, 14, 21 &28 – 9:30 am—12:30 pm

    Heritage Gallery – The pumpkins are growing big and round, the leaves are changing color, mum plants are popping up everywhere…including at the Heritage Gallery. New items are constantly arriving. Need a necklace to wear to that fall wedding? How about a wedding present? We have it all! The Gallery hours are: 10 am – 2 pm, Wed.-Fri.

    Should you Change your Medicare Health Plan? You may not have a choice! Some Medicare health plans will no longer be offered next year, including Tufts Medicare Preferred PPO and PFFS. In October, your plans will be sending letters about changes for next year. Be sure to open, read and save these letters! Although your plan may still be available next year, a different plan may be better for you. You may want to consider changing plans during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period (November 15 – December 31).

    Some reasons to look for a new plan for next year: Your current plan’s premium will be increasing, your co-payments to providers will be increasing, your doctors will no longer be taking your plan, some of your prescriptions will no longer be covered or the cost of your prescriptions will be increasing. A SHINE Counselor can help you understand the choices! SHINE offers free Medicare counseling at your Senior Center. Call your Center and ask for a SHINE appointment. You can also reach a SHINE counselor by calling 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636), then pressing or saying 3. If you get the SHINE answering machine, leave your name and number. A volunteer will call you back, as soon as possible. Please be patient. Due to a large volume of calls, you may not hear from us for several days.

  • Pandemic Flu Public Feedback Session

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), want input regarding who should receive flu vaccinations first in the event of a pandemic.

    Experts say chances of a deadly worldwide influenza pandemic are increasing. An influenza pandemic could cause widespread disruption of work and millions of deaths.

    An estimated 40 million people died in the 1918 Pandemic, 118 in Framingham where there were about 2000 cases.

    Early in the outbreak, the U.S. will have a shortage of vaccine and will face tough choices about who to vaccinate first. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are conducting pandemic planning, which includes prioritizing the distribution of flu vaccine.

    As part of this planning process, the MDPH is recruiting one hundred diverse members of the general public from across the state to give feedback on which population groups should be vaccinated first at a meeting on September 17, 2005 from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM.

    The meeting will be held at the Marlborough Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, conveniently located directly off Route 495 and the Mass Pike. Food and a certificate of appreciation from MPDH will be provided.

    Please register to attend today by contacting Jennifer Coyle, the Project Coordinator, at: flu@catalyst-consulting.net or at: (617) 620-9615.

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  • UPDATE: 2009 Mosquito Spraying

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project will be spraying for mosquitoes in areas of Framingham on Thursday, July 23rd and Monday, July 27th. All spraying is done between between dusk and 11:30 PM.

    On Thursday, July 23rd, spraying is scheduled for streets in the vicinity of Elm St., Griffin Rd., Pinewood Dr., Danforth St., Lake St., Old Connecticut Path, Summer St., Beacon St., Lockland Ave. and Prospect St.

    On Monday, July 27th, spraying is scheduled for areas of Framingham that are located in the vicinity of Hartford St., Gorman Rd., Guadalcanal Rd., Mt. Wayte Ave., Long Ave., Singletary Way, Old Worcester Rd., Temple St., Ellis St., Little Tree Lane, Irving St., Hollis St., Winthrop St. and Fay Rd.

    The Project uses a spray formulation that contains the pesticide product, Anvil, to control mosquitoes. Anvil contains the pesticide, sumithrin, which is a pryethroid that is classified as slightly toxic by the EPA.

    Mosquito control applications of sumithrin do not pose a significant risk to people or their pets due to the low toxicity of sumithrin and the small amount used to control mosquitoes. As with any pesticide, people should minimize their exposure.

    If residents see a spray truck approaching, they are advised to go indoors for a few minutes while the spray dissipates. Residents are also advised to close windows facing the street.

    If residents would like to exclude their property from the spraying or have any questions related to mosquitoes or mosquito control, contact the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project at 781-899-5730.

    Information on the spray schedule is available via a recorded message at 781-893-5759 and at the Project web site at: www.town.sudbury.ma.us/services/health/emmcp

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  • 2009 Mosquito Spraying in Framingham

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project will be spraying for mosquitoes in areas of Framingham on Wednesday, July 8th and Thursday, July 9th All spraying is done between between dusk and 11:30 PM.

    On Wednesday, July 8th, spraying is scheduled for streets in the vicinity of Elm St., Griffin Rd., Pinewood Dr., Danforth St., Lake St., Old Connecticut Path, Summer St., Beacon St., Lockland Ave. and Prospect St.

    On Thursday, July 9th, spraying is scheduled for areas of Framingham that are located in the vicinity of Hartford St., Gorman Rd., Guadalcanal Rd., Mt. Wayte Ave., Long Ave., Singletary Way, Old Worcester Rd., Temple St., Ellis St., Little Tree Lane, Irving St., Hollis St., Winthrop St. and Fay Rd.

    The Project uses a spray formulation that contains the pesticide product, Anvil, to control mosquitoes. Anvil contains the pesticide sumithrin, which is a synthetic pryethroid that is classified as slightly toxic by the EPA. Mosquito control applications of sumithrin do not pose a significant risk to people or their pets due to the low toxicity of sumithrin and the small amount used to control mosquitoes.

    As with any pesticide, people should minimize their exposure. If residents see a spray truck approaching, they are advised to go indoors for a few minutes while the spray dissipates. Residents are also advised to close windows facing the street.

    Information on the spray schedule is available via a recorded message at 781-893-5759 and at the Project web site at www.town.sudbury.ma.us/services/health/emmcp

    If residents have any questions related to the spraying or any questions on mosquitoes, contact the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project at 781-899-5730.

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  • Linda Bove of Sesame Street to appear at the Learning Center for the Deaf

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Learning Center for the Deaf (TLC) is proud to announce that actress Linda Bove from Sesame Street and co-founder of DeafWest Theatre will visit TLC’s Parent-Infant Program and preschool classrooms at at its Framingham campus on Tuesday, April 7.

    Bove will be honored at TLC’s 10th annual “Spring on the Charles” Gala to benefit TLC’s early (more…)

  • Food Allergy Presentation

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — Why are there a growing number of people with allergies to peanuts and other foods? Do some people “outgrow” food allergies? What are the newest treatments for these possibly life-threatening reactions? Pediatric allergist Douglas McDonald, MD, PhD, will discuss these issues and more on Wednesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. at (more…)

  • Parents of Children with Food Allergies to Meet in Framingham

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — Parents of children with food allergies are invited to a meeting with clinical social worker Marianne Fougere on Wednesday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Metro-West Allergy & Asthma Educational Support Group, which meets at Allergy & Asthma Treatment Specialists, 475 Franklin St., Framingham. The program is free and open to the public.

    “There are many challenging emotional issues and uncomfortable family situations that come up when a child in (more…)

  • Free Public Program on Heart Health

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — February is American Heart Month, and the Framingham Board of Health will be sponsoring their annual Healthy Heart Program on Tuesday February 10, 2009 at the Framingham Public Library.

    Heart Disease is the number one killer of women in the US, but research shows that eighty percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women make the right choices for their hearts, such as changing their eating habits, getting regular exercise, choosing not to smoke and managing their cholesterol and blood pressure.

    Dr Naomi Hamburg of BU School of Medicine and the Framingham Heart Study will speak about heart health. There will also be brief presentations on local heart healthy activities. Attendees will be able to get cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, and bone density tests done and gather information from many community agencies.

    The program is free and everyone is encouraged to attend.

    For more information contact the Board of Health at 508-532-5470.

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