The Geauga Family YMCA is excited to bring back its full-scale Senior Health and Wellness Fair Oct. 3 with over two dozen vendors who will be chock full of information.
The Geauga Family YMCA is excited to bring back its full-scale Senior Health and Wellness Fair Oct. 3 with over two dozen vendors who will be chock full of information.
“My role as the active older adult coordinator here at the Y is to design programming to keep seniors active and healthy,” said Diane Gorom. “This health fair is one of the many ways I can do that. I have been working with University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center since 2015 to put this fair on every year in October. Because of the pandemic, we had to miss 2020 completely and just had a very small fair in 2021. This year so far, we have 28 vendors signed up to attend.”
The fair, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Geauga YMCA, 12460 Bass Lake Road in Munson Township, is free and open to the public with no registration required.
“Partnering every year with the YMCA on this wonderful health and wellness fair is just one way to connect and provide resources, education and screenings for older adults,” said Dawn Damante, coordinator of UH-Geauga Medical Center’s geriatric program. “It’s an event that should not be overlooked.”
Damante said her focus is on enhancing the aging population’s health and wellness through advocacy, connection to vital resources and support that provides and strengthens the overall quality of life for these communities.
“UH-Geauga will be providing biometric screenings — blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and body mass index — preventative risk screenings, along with balance and grip screenings,” Damante said. “UH clinical pharmacy specialists will be available to answer questions about medication management, side effects and safe practices.”
New this year will be providers from the UH wound care and hyperbaric medicine center, who will offer educational information on foot health and wound prevention, Damante said.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for seniors,” said Dale Konrad, 74, of Munson Township. “I’ve gone in years past and it was just great.”
Huntsburg Township resident Kathy Atwell, 73, added, “It’s a good way to ask questions and find out information about your health … and it’s all done in one spot.”
Other services provided include Salty of Chardon bringing a portable salt booth tent for people to try out.
“Attendees can spend five minutes in the salt ‘cave’ to see what salt therapy can do for them,” Gorom said.
Free mini chair massages and reflexology will be offered by Living Well Holistic Health, of Middlefield, and Arbonne will have samples of their latest products, she said.
The Geauga Park District will also be on site offering county park maps, program activity guides and birding checklists.
For those with questions about Medicare, Ginny Calvey, an independent certified licensed Medicare insurance agent, will be on hand to answer questions.
“Knowledge is power,” she said, adding she will help people navigate everything Medicare related.
Holly’s Hearing will be conduct hearing screenings, and Chardon and Chesterland Family Eyecare will provide information on the importance of eye health as it relates to the whole body and will give out lens cloths, cleaner and artificial tear samples, Gorom said.
In addition to the above, Second Sole of Lyndhurst will explain the importance of footwear, bringing samples of different athletic shoes and talking about their benefits, Gorom said, adding they will have some discounted shoes to sell.
Other vendors include Crossroads Nutrition, Dr Cherie Lechner-Lunato DC, Alert Care Medical, FirstLight Homecare, Geauga Public Library, the Geauga Farm Bureau, Geauga Veterans Services and Geauga Transit, the Geauga County Department on Aging, United Way Services of Geauga, Devoted Health, Claudia Brown, members of the Alzheimer’s Association, the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office and Bathsaver.
Gorom also extended a thank you to Sage’s Fruit Farm in Chardon for donating 250 apples to hand out, and to CCM Rental, of Chardon, for donating 20 tables for the vendors.
What: Senior Health and Wellness Fair
When: Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-noon
Where: Geauga YMCA, 12460 Bass Lake Road, Munson Township
