HomePorts, Inc. and Kent County Public Schools, in partnership with the Kent County Health Department, the University of Maryland (UM) Shore Regional Health, and Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), invite everyone to the annual free Health and Wellness Expo on Thursday, October 18, from 8am to 12pm at Kent County High School in Worton. This year’s event is reported to be bigger than ever, with health screenings, over 50 exhibitors, and 12 expert talks geared to all ages.
– Is stress affecting your day-to-day life?
– Are you worried that you may be at risk for heart disease?
– Are you having trouble sleeping?
Maybe you just want to join friends and neighbors in perusing the exhibit hall tables, collecting free samples, seeing the latest in technologies and services. If you or someone close to you has health questions (don’t we all?) or needs information on where to go locally for help, you will want to attend this event.
Wayne Benjamin, MD, event co-chair, said,“ I cannot express how impressed I am with the quality of our speakers, the appropriateness of subjects we were fortunate enough to capture this year. Kent County and HomePorts should be very proud of the quality represented. Where can you get such meaningful talks in a three hour meeting?”
“Ask The Experts” talks will last 30-45 minutes with time for questions and answers. He said that the presentations were chosen for their appeal to the greatest numbers of listeners and the speakers because of their expertise in their fields. Topics and speakers are:
*Mental Health in Later Life 10:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
Speaker: Allan Anderson, MD, former President of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
*Ten Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
*Healthy Living for Your Body and Brain 11:15 – noon
Speaker: Cynthia Prud’homme, MSW, Education Coordinator, Alzheimer’s Association
*Sleep Problems, Obstructive Sleep Apnea 9:00 a.m. & 9:45 a.m.
Speaker: Fernando DeLeon, MD, Specialist in Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at UM Shore Regional Health
*Hormone Replacement Therapy: Risks and Rewards 9:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
Speaker: S. Dale G. Jafari, DNP, FNP-BC, UM Community Medical Group Women’s Health
*Don’t Fall this Fall 9:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
Speaker: Paul Simonetti, PT, DPT, OCS, Chestertown Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
*Facts and Myths of Hospice Care 10:30 a.m.
Speaker: Heather Guerieri, RN, MSN, CHPN, Executive Director of Compass Regional Hospice
*How Can Grief Support Help? 11:15 a.m.
Speaker: Rhonda Knotts, MCC, Supervisor of Grief Services, Compass Regional Hospice
*Urogynecology and Pelvic Health 9:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
Speaker: Briana Walton, MD, Director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, AAMC Women’s Center for Pelvic Health
*Cardiovascular Health, Heart Failure 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Speaker: Juan Cordero, MD, FACC
*Diabetes: Strategies for Lowering you HA1C 9:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
Speaker: Doris Tate, CNP, UM Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology.
*Pain Management in Light of the Opiate Epidemic: Overview of medications, injections, and joint replacements 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Speaker: Nathan Turner, PA, KureSmart Pain Management
*Stress Management 10:30 a.m. & 11:15 a.m.
Speaker: Patricia Deitz, LCSW, Chester River Behavioral Health and Wellness, LLC
Local health care practitioners are featured who are donating their time to answer questions and offer free guidance and information, according to Dr.Benjamin..
Free flu shots will be given by the local Health Department and Chester River Pharmacy. In addition, hospitals will have free screenings for lung function, pulmonary health, stroke risk, balance and fall risks, and pre-diabetes checks. Local vision specialists will check eye health.
In addition, exhibitors include legal and financial services, food vendors, safety advocates, and home modification companies—a plethora of information about local resources.
Following lunch from 12:00 to 12:30 the event concludes with a forum with candidates for Kent County Commissioner answering questions based on the recent United Way Needs Assessment for Kent County. The discussion will be moderated by the League of Women voters.
As a local nonprofit organization serving the aging population in Kent County, HomePorts understands the importance of health care, preventive medicine, and playing an active role in the community. Kent County strives to be a “community for a lifetime.” The aging population depends on a community that maintains positive health and well-being. Having ready access to preventive health screenings, wellness programs and current information on health issues is critical for all ages.
For more information, call 443-480-0940, email [email protected] or visit www.homeports.org.
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