Lakeland Health: Wellness Events

Cookie Walk Planned to Benefit Lory’s Place

(ST. JOSEPH) – The Lory’s Place Crew will hold a cookie walk on Friday, Dec. 1, from 6–9 p.m. on the corner of State and Broad streets at the Puzzlemental Escape Room Adventures storefront during the 6th Annual Live Mannequins event in downtown St. Joseph. The holiday treats are $5 per dozen and will include festive cookies, dessert bars and other baked goods. Proceeds from the sale will support the programs and services of Lory’s Place, a grief healing and education center of Caring Circle, a Lakeland Health Affiliate.

Lory’s Place provides tools to help children and adults cope with death, begin the healing process, and ultimately adjust to the new normal of life in the healthiest way possible. There is no charge for the services that Lory’s Place provides. The Lory’s Place Crew is a group of volunteers who support the Center’s mission and services. For more information about the Cookie Walk or about the programs and services provided by Lory’s Place, visit www.lorysplace.org or call (269) 983-2707

Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Courses Offered

(NILES) – Community members are invited to attend a free mental health first aid training course on Monday, Dec. 4 and Thursday, Dec. 7 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Community Room at Lakeland Medical Suites in Niles, located at 42 North St. Joseph Avenue. Both four-hour sessions must be completed for certification.

The course is designed for adults who regularly interact with adolescents and teaches participants how to assist young people experiencing a mental health crisis until appropriate help is received or until the crisis resolves. Training reviews typical adolescent development, teaches a five step action plan to help young people in crisis, and helps participants understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
A training manual and certification is provided upon completion. Preregistration is required; call (269) 556-2808 or (866) 260-7544

Is Your Heart Pumping as Well as it Should?
Free Class Discusses Heart Failure

(WATERVLIET)–Lakeland Health will offer “Living Well with Heart Failure,” a free class for community members about congestive heart failure (CHF), a chronic condition characterized by the heart’s inability to meet the blood flow needs of the body. The program will take place on Tuesday, December 5, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in Classroom B at Lakeland Hospital Watervliet, located at 400 Medical Park Drive.

Participants will learn to identify common causes and symptoms of heart failure, as well as new daily routines that can dramatically improve one’s quality of life. Preregistration for the class is required; call (269) 556-2808 or (866) 260-7544

Bariatric Surgeons to Discuss Weight Loss Options

(ST. JOSEPH) – The Lakeland Comprehensive Weight Loss Center is offering a series of free seminars titled, “Lose Weight…Find Health.” The first seminar will take place on Wednesday, December 6 in the Community Conference Room at the Lakeland Medical Suites in Niles, located at 42 North St. Joseph Avenue. A second seminar will be held on Wednesday, December 20 in the Frederick S. Upton Education Center at Lakeland Medical Center, St. Joseph, located at 1234 Napier Avenue. Both seminars will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Bariatric surgeons Jill Gorsuch, DO, and Michael Schuhknecht, DO, will discuss programs available for losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight for years to come. The Lakeland Comprehensive Weight Loss Center specializes in working with each person to create a customized lifestyle plan, including medical weight loss management through diet or bariatric surgery, nutrition counseling, individualized exercise programs, and monthly support groups.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 190 million adults in the United States are overweight and obese. Individuals more than 40% overweight are twice as likely to die prematurely as someone of average weight. However, the good news is that losing as little as 5-15% of your initial body weight can reduce your risk of diabetes and other illnesses, and can even eliminate your need for some medications.
For more information or to register for the seminar, visit www.lakelandweightlosscenter.com/events or call (269) 927-5361

Learn to Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes

(WATERVLIET) – Lakeland Health is offering a free program designed to help anyone with higher-than-normal blood sugar levels learn about lifestyle changes which may help them avoid or delay the onset of diabetes. The class will take place on Thursday, December 7, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Classroom B at Lakeland Hospital, Watervliet, located at 400 Medical Park Drive.

During the first hour of the program, a registered nurse will guide attendees through the disease process of diabetes and introduce healthy lifestyle changes. The final hour will be spent with a registered dietitian who will suggest meal selections that can help you maintain health and manage weight.

This program does not require a physician referral. Pre-registration is required, and class size is limited. For more information or to register, call (269) 556-2868.