HEALTHY HAPPENINGS

Ostomy Group To Hold Picnic

BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County Ostomy Association will hold an indoor picnic at 12:30 p.m. today, June 19, at the Oak Hill Enrichment Center located at 11375 Cortez Blvd. This will be the last meeting until September. For more information, call Joan at 352-686-1077 or Nancy at 352-597-7933.

Green Bean To Host 'A Day At The Spa'

SPRING HILL - Green Bean Organic Market will host "A Day At The Spa" on Saturday, June 21, at the store located at 11020 Northcliffe Blvd. The event will feature a choice of a free spa treatment, such as, a 10-minute chair massage; a professional facial featuring Devita Italian tomato or cappuccino masks; a manicure with the Green Bean's new line of vegan nail lacquer from SpaRitual; makeup makeovers with Larenim all-natural makeup; or $10 off a salon hair cut and style at NYLA Salon. Gift baskets will be auctioned off (with proceeds to benefit a friend in need), and complimentary organic wine, chocolate, and henna tattooing will be offered. Reservations are required for the spa treatment, so either visit the Green Bean to sign up or call the store at 352-688-7979.

Restless Legs Support Group To Meet At Sleep Institute

SPRING HILL - Restless Legs Support Group meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, at the Florida Sleep Institute located at 4075 Mariner Blvd. A presentation will be given by Kelly Salvatore from Kelly's Wellness about natural health options. A slide presentation entitled, "Understanding Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Those Living with RLS" will also be featured. This will be for those RLS sufferers who are interested in managing their RLS without, or in addition to, the use of medication. Dr. Kohler is usually available during the meeting to address any questions the group or individuals may have. To confirm attendance or for more information, call 352-200-5440 or e-mail bkinahan@tampabay.rr.com

Veteran Services Is Seeking Van Drivers To Transport Veterans

Hernando County Veteran Services is currently accepting applications for volunteer van drivers to transport Hernando County veterans to medical appointments at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa. To qualify, a volunteer must possess a valid driver's license, have a safe driving record, show proof of current automobile insurance, pass a physical health screening, and attend volunteer training and orientation. All training and physicals are free of charge. For more information, call Hernando County Veteran Services at 352-754-4033.

Reiki Clinic To Be Held At Inner Peace Center

BROOKSVILLE - A Reiki Clinic will be held at 7 p.m. each Wednesday at the Inner Peace Bookstore and Wellness Center located at 421 West Jefferson St. Reiki is a Japanese word meaning Universal Life Energy, an energy all around people. Reiki allows the person to feel deeply relaxed, calm and peaceful. The cost for the clinic is $10 per person, and Reiki books will be available for purchase. For more information, call Maria at 352-544-0305 or Vicki at 352-442-1240.

CARES Announces Addition To Staff Of Diabetes Educator

CARES (Community Aging and Retirement Services, Inc.) has announced that Certified Diabetes Educator, Jane Brown, RN, BSN, has joined its Skilled Medicare Home Health Department staff. CARES provides skilled services that are ordered by a physician to Medicare beneficiaries. One of the important skilled services provided is teaching a patient with diabetes how to manage their condition. Certified Diabetes Educators are multidisciplinary health professionals who work with diabetes patients. They assess the diabetic patient's physical condition and needs, help patients to understand their disease and to develop habits and lifestyle changes that benefit their health. The assistance provided includes developing a meal plan based on the individual's age, height and weight, providing instruction and monitoring their medications, developing an individualized medication timing plan, glucose monitoring instruction, development of an individualized exercise plan, and avoiding short-term and long-term complications of diabetes.

Brown is a Registered Nurse and has a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of South Florida. She has extensive experience in public health nursing, most recently in the Gainesville Public Health Department, and before that, in the Hillsborough County Public Health Department. She resides in Hudson.

For more information, call Karen Alvarez, administrator, at 727-862-9291 Ext. 219.

CARES To Offer Early Memory Loss Program

PORT RICHEY - CARES Early Memory Loss Program will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday at the CARES Phil Mishkin Administrative Center, 7505 Rottingham Road. The program is for individuals who are experiencing early memory losses and need a proactive day program to provide social support and memory retraining skills. The CARES "Senior Movements" Early Memory Loss Program offers individuals and their families opportunities to reduce the progression and challenges of potential memory disorders through early intervention. There is a six-week commitment to begin the program, and attendance thereafter is on a session-to-session basis. For reservations or more information, call Christine Powers at 727-862-9291 Ext. 244.

Divorce Care Schedule At St. Andrew's Church

SPRING HILL - St. Andrew's Episcopal Church will hold its summer schedule for Divorce Care as follows: at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 30, July 7 and 21, and Aug. 4, in the Krysher Hall Library of the church located at 2301 Deltona Blvd. The summer schedule will consist of informal discussion gatherings until the fall session resumes. For more information, call the church office at 352-683-2010.

Cancer Institute To Host Caregiver Support Group

SPRING HILL - The Florida Cancer Institute holds its Caregiver Support Group from 4 to 5 p.m. the second Thursday of every month at the Florida Cancer Institute's Spring Hill Center, 10441 Quality Drive., Suite 203, in the Medical Arts Building next to Spring Hill Regional Hospital. The next scheduled meeting will be June 12. For more information, call Dorothy Hiller, M.L.T, support group facilitator, at 352-688-7744.

Oak Hill To Offer Healthy Heart Support Group

BROOKSVILLE - Heart Institute at Oak Hill Hospital will offer a Healthy Hearts support group from 4 to 5:30 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Enrichment Center at Oak Hill Hospital, 11375 Cortez Blvd. The purpose of the support group is to provide information and answer questions regarding all aspects of the heart. Anyone who wants to learn more about heart disease is encouraged to attend.

For more information, call the Enrichment Center at 352-597-6331 in Hernando and 352-628-6441 Ext. 6331 in Citrus or visit www.OakHillHospital.com.

Cancer Institute To Hold Prostate Cancer Support Group

BROOKSVILLE - Florida Cancer Institute holds its "Man to Man" prostate cancer support group from 6 to 7 p.m. the first Monday of every month at its center located at 7154 Medical Center Drive. Topics that are frequently discussed are: importance of early detection, signs and symptoms, prognosis, disease stages, incontinence, impotence, various treatment options including hormone therapy and medications, and especially the latest research and treatment modalities. Speakers will include physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers and others. For more information, call Betty Lawrence, R.T., support group facilitator, at 352-596-1926.

Cancer Institute To Hold Breast Cancer Support Group

BROOKSVILLE - Florida Cancer Institute - New Hope holds a women's breast cancer support group from 6 to 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month at its center located at 7154 Medical Center Drive. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call Tambra Randazzo, RT, at 352-592-8128.

SHINE Opens New Site In Spring Hill

SPRING HILL - SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) has opened a new site at the Little Red Schoolhouse located at 1208 Kenlake Ave., off Spring Hill Drive. Trained SHINE volunteers will be available from 11 a.m. to noon every Wednesday.

Volunteers will offer information and assistance with Medicare, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, Medicare supplemental insurance, Medicaid programs, and prescription assistance programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. They can also provide valuable information about Medicare to persons soon to turn 65. SHINE is a statewide program of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Multiple SHINE sites are open in Hernando County; call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-262-2243 for site locations or to be referred to a SHINE counselor.

Cancer Institute To Host Look Good - Feel Better Program

BROOKSVILLE - Florida Cancer Institute has announced that it will host the American Cancer Society's "Look Good...Feel Better" program once a month in its conference room. The program is held periodically on Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m.

This is a free group program that teaches beauty techniques to female cancer patients to help combat the appearance-related side effects of treatment. "Look Good... Feel Better" is free and open to all women cancer patients in active treatment.

Reservations are required.

For more information and to make an appointment for one of the future sessions, call Mary Capo at 352-596-1926 Ext.150.

NAMI Hernando Seeking Volunteers

National Alliance On Mental Illness/NAMI Hernando is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization whose mission statement is to promote mental health awareness in the community through education, support, advocacy and outreach while improving the quality of life toward recovery for all who are living with mental illness, their families and their supporters.

NAMI Hernando speakers group is available to church ministries, civic groups, including military veterans and their families, senior citizen groups and parent teacher associations. Speakers offer insight of what NAMI Hernando is all about.

For more information, call Darlene at 352-686-0004.

Cancer Institute To Hold Leukemia Support Group

SPRING HILL - The Florida Cancer Institute holds its Leukemia/Lymphoma Support Group meeting from 5 to 6:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Florida Cancer Institute's Spring Hill Center, 10441 Quality Drive, Suite 203. This is located in the Medical Arts Building next to Spring Hill Regional Hospital.

For more information, call Jeff Haight, R.N., support group facilitator, at 352-688-7744.

Bereavement Group Meets At Cabrini Center

SPRING HILL - Loved & Remembered Support Group is a new support group that will meet at 7 p.m. every other Friday in the Cabrini Center at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, 5030 Mariner Blvd.

The group is open to all parents and grandparents who have lost a child at any age due to any cause.

For more information, call Dorothy at 352-684-1369 or Carole at 352-686-1310.

WOW Program Is Being Offered At YMCA

SPRING HILL - Hernando County Family YMCA is offering a new Working on Weights program that meets twice a week for four weeks on the Wellness Floor of the facility located at 1300 Mariner Blvd.

The program features one-on-one instruction with a personal wellness trainer to help achieve personal goals while addressing personal limitations and comforts.

For more information, call Olivia Matles at 352-688-9622.