Spectrum Health Lakeland: Upcoming Wellness Events

Free Adult Mental Health First Aid Courses Offered

(ST. JOSEPH) – Community members are invited to attend a free mental health first aid training course on Thursday, May 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Consortium for Community Development, located at 175 West Main Street in Benton Harbor.

Adult Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based public education and prevention tool which works to improve the public’s knowledge of mental health and substance use problems, help adults take the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations, and connects people with care. Studies show one in five Americans has a mental illness, but many are reluctant to seek help or might not know where to turn for care. When more people are equipped with the tools they need to start a dialogue, more people can get the help they may need.

A training manual and certification is provided upon completion. Preregistration is required; call (269) 556-2808 or (866) 260-7544.

Stonegate Dermatology to Offer Free Skin Cancer Screenings

(ST. JOSEPH) – Community members with suspicious looking moles or concerns about the effects of the sun on their skin are invited to schedule a free skin cancer screening on Friday, May 17 at Stonegate Dermatology, located at 3901 Stonegate Park Suite 300 in St. Joseph. The event is open to new patients only.

Ten-minute slots will be available throughout the day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments are preferred; walk-ins will be accepted only if space is available. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (269) 556-6000.

The American Cancer Society advises a skin screening if you notice:

• Any change on your skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth
• Scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
• The spread of pigmentation beyond its border, such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark
• A change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain

The care team at Stonegate Dermatology diagnoses and treats conditions involving acne and rosacea, bumps and growths, eczema/dermatitis, itchy skin, rashes, skin cancer, and diseases of the skin, among others. For more information, visit www.stonegatedermatology.com. 

Lakeland to Offer Free Babysitting Class in Watervliet

(WATERVLIET) – To help adolescents learn how to be safe sitters, Spectrum Health Lakeland will host a free “Babysitting with Confidence” class on Saturday, May 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Classroom A & B at Lakeland Hospital Watervliet, located at 400 Medical Park Drive.

Created specifically for adolescents, this course covers a variety of topics intended to give participants the confidence and knowledge for caring for small children, including:

• Questions to ask before taking a job
• Expectations of a baby sitter
• Telephoning in an emergency
• Home and fire safety
• Infant and toddler care
• First aid and choking
• Discipline
• Food preparation

Participants must be in the fifth grade or be age 11 or older to register. Preregistration is required and class size is limited. For more information, or to register for this free class, call (269) 556-2808. 

CPR Class for Babysitters Offered in Niles

(NILES) – Community members are invited to attend a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) class for babysitters on Tuesday, May 21, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., in the meeting room at Lakeland Hospital Niles, located at 31 N. St. Joseph Avenue.

This is an American Heart Association course which is designed to teach the essentials of CPR. Participants will be taught how to save children and infants from choking, cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, and the proper use of an AED. This class will allow time to practice the skills needed for proper CPR. Upon completion, a certification card will be issued.

Preregistration is required and participation is limited. Participants must complete the Babysitting with Confidence program prior to taking this course. For more information, or to register, call (269) 556-2808.