THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 27, 1994 TAG: 9410250108
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HEIDI GLICK, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
TWO MONTHS AGO, Priscilla Mullins had high blood sugar and what her doctor called ``glucose intolerance.''
Fearful that she would get diabetes, Mullins, 71, cut out the ice cream, candy and cookies and instead snacked on her homemade sweet potato chips.
Then when she heard that DePaul Medical Center was offering free health screenings, Mullins couldn't resist getting her blood sugar level tested again to see if she had made any improvements.
``My blood sugar is in good range,'' she said excitedly after getting a screening result of 106. The average range is 70-120.
Mullins was just one of about 300 senior citizens who came out recently for DePaul's annual Seniorfest, a two-day wellness festival for older adults.
Aside from the free health screenings, the center also hosted, for the first time this year, a Fitness and Leisure Fair.
Various health corporations, food companies and non-profit organizations set up booths inside an auditorium at the center. DePaul's Classic Care Class did a warm-up exercise for the crowd as instructor Marion Rothblum encouraged the seniors to get involved with the program.
``Don't be like the man who says every time the mood to exercise hits him, he goes and lies down,'' she said to the audience.
After the demonstration, Nina Sulcer signed up for the exercise classes. She used to swim but stopped when she got a job at Norfolk's city hall information desk, working almost 20 hours a week.
The classes at Classic Care fit her schedule. Now she wants to get back into exercising, hoping that will reduce her stress at work.
Sulcer also took advantage of the free health screenings and checked on her cholesterol level.
``I think it's great,'' she said. ``It sort of gives you more confidence. You know if you have a problem or not.''
Nearby, Gilbert McCallister was celebrating his low blood sugar level. ``I can have ice cream now,'' he said.
But he wasn't going to get ice cream at the festival.
Instead, sponsors handed out free vegetables, salt-free pepper and lemon spice packets, breakfast cereals, and lots of fruit and juice.
DePaul and Marian Manor retirement community each hosted food demonstrations, making low-fat variations of salmon as well as pasta primavera.
Nibbling on some grapes while waiting for the demonstrations to begin, Mary Muzyka said she attended almost all of the screenings and compares the results with her doctor's results.
She especially liked seeing the crafts exhibits featuring ceramic angels, a quilt and knitting.
``It's excellent the way it's set up,'' she said.
Although Muzyka can afford a doctor, for some of the seniors these free screenings are the only ones they get, retired nurse Mac Mandell said.
``Some people can't afford a doctor or can't get there because they don't have transportation,'' Mandell said. ``It's an opportunity for senior citizens to find out what's wrong with them.''
She added that the volunteers, many of them students, are pleasant and don't rush the patients through.
Odessa G. and Aldin E. Johnson sat in folding chairs waiting to get their blood pressure checked. Although they both see a doctor regularly, they also value these screenings.
``It lets me the know the area where I have to improve,'' Odessa Johnson said.
In this case, it's cholesterol.
``I love potato chips,'' she said, adding that after cutting back she lost 60 pounds. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by GARY C. KNAPP
From left to right, physical therapist Diane Wrysley gives a
computer balance movement test to Sylvia Littman while Mary Forbes
and Christina Stratos wait their turn at DePaul Medical Center's
annual Seniorfest, a two-day wellness festival for older adults.
George Weatherford gets his vision checked at one of the free health
screenings at DePaul.
by CNB