THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 20, 1996 TAG: 9609190159
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 13 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Prime Time
SOURCE: Pam Starr
LENGTH: 74 lines
Tammy Ferguson started out small when planning a senior health fair to be held at Oakwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Oct. 2.
The director of marketing figured that a few organizations would show up. She had no idea that the response from the senior services community would be so good. Twenty-five organizations and businesses from the AARP to Integral Massage and Bodyworks to the Virginia Beach Fire Department will provide free services and information to seniors.
``I wanted to educate a few seniors about what's available to them,'' said Ferguson. ``It was amazing that there were so many organizations willing to come out. Some of the free services we're providing you couldn't get at a doctor's office.''
Vision and hearing tests will be free, as will diabetes and blood pressure screenings. Flu shots are a bargain at $5. And since October is Fire Safety Month, free smoke detectors will be distributed to those attending.
The Senior Health Fair will also offer several seminars. At 9 a.m., staff from Chesapeake General Hospital will discuss depression in the elderly. At 9:30 a.m., people from Medicare will talk about Medicare benefits. A nurse will speak on durable power of attorney at 10 a.m., and long term care insurance will be discussed at 10:30 a.m. At 11:15, information on breast cancer will be presented, and at noon an expert will talk about nutrition in the elderly.
``We find a lot of our residents come in here for short-term care. When they're discharged they don't know who to go to or who to reach out to them,'' Ferguson said. ``That's why this is such a great thing - you can get everything done in one shot. You can't go wrong.''
Some of the organizations that will attend include American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Arthritis Association, Chesapeake Geriatric Psychology, Comp-U-Dose Pharmacy, Lions Club, Virginia Beach Health Department, Chesapeake Adult Mental Health and the American Cancer Society, among others.
Ferguson is looking forward to the Oct. 2 fair, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., but is hoping for a few more businesses to help out financially so they can advertise it more.
``We want to hit as many seniors as possible in Hampton Roads,'' she said.
If you can help out or would like more information, call Ferguson or Shanda Hartley at 420-3600. Oakwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is at 5520 Indian River Road in Virginia Beach.
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING meaningful to say that you would want your grandchildren to read?
ALTI Publishing out of San Diego is looking for authentic letters written by grandparents to their grandchildren which support traditional values. The publisher is compiling two volumes: ``From Grandma with Love: A Legacy of Values'' and ``From Grandpa with Love: A Legacy of Values.''
Sandra O'Rourke, assistant to the president, said that the real life experiences of grandparents have the power to build character in young people.
``We believe very strongly in traditional values and feel it is lacking in today's society, especially with the younger generation,'' she said.
ALTI Publishing is looking for brief - no more than two pages - accounts from grandparents about a real experience that helped them learn the guiding value of their lives, added O'Rourke. Letters should be clearly and simply written but the ideas and values of the writer are more important than the style of writing.
The Grandma book is almost finished, but the publisher is ``absolutely'' still wanting more submissions for that one as well as Grandpa. That book will be published in time for Mother's Day. For each entry selected, ALTI Publishing will contribute $50 to a children's charity chosen by the writer and will give the writer a free copy of the book.
``They should write about something that really impacted their lives that they would like to share with their grandchildren,'' O'Rourke said. ``Something that reflects traditional values.''
Start polishing your pen now. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 31. Send submissions to: ALTI Publishing, P.O. Box 28025, San Diego, Calif. 92198-0025, or call 1-800-284-8537. Enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope for submission return. by CNB