Health Briefs for this week
Goshen Care Center for Cancer Care reaccredited
GOSHEN — Goshen Center for Cancer Care has earned reaccreditation from the Commission on Cancer, a national quality program of the American College of Surgeons. Accreditation evaluates continuous quality improvement of cancer services through an onsite visit and data reporting to the National Cancer Database, a joint initiative of the CoC and the American Cancer Society. Participating in the CoC accreditation program gives cancer centers comparative benchmarks for similar programs, as well as reporting tools for quality improvement, quality assurance and surveillance. Accreditation is for three years. Goshen Center for Cancer Care has been accredited since 2004.
Memory screenings encouraged this November
As part of National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this November, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is reminding everyone to prioritize their brain health and get a memory screening. AFA offers free memory screenings every weekday through its National Memory Screening Program, with no minimum age or insurance prerequisites, through secure videoconference technology. Screenings take a few minutes and are noninvasive, consisting of a series of questions to gauge memory, language, thinking skills and other intellectual functions. Individuals can learn more or request a screening appointment by contacting AFA at 866-232-8484 or going online to alzfdn.org.
Classes
SOUTH BEND — Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana will offer the free class “Alzheimer’s & Dementia” from 10 to 11 a.m. Nov. 6 in the Care Partner Academy. Patty Piechocki, director of the Institute for Excellence in Memory Care, will lead this live/interactive web session. Participants can connect through their computer. Register online at https://alzni.org/caregivers/caregiving/.
GOSHEN — Chair Yoga will be offered by the Elkhart County Parks from 9 to 10 a.m. Nov. 9 in the Ox Bow Haus Shelter in Ox Bow Park, 23033 County Road 45. Chair Yoga is a gentle form of yoga that is done while seated or using a chair for balance. Wear comfortable clothing. Some mats are available; bring your own if you have one. This is a free class for those 12 years and older. No registration is required.
Events
SOUTH BEND — Changes are coming to Medicare in 2024 and the St. Joseph County Public Library is offering a free educational presentation, “Medicare 101.” This presentation is for anyone already on Medicare, anyone approaching Medicare age, a spouse and/or children of those on Medicare who help make these decisions, and anyone under 65 who is on disability and receiving Medicare benefits. Many questions and topics will be covered. Medicare annual enrollment period is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. The presentation will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Community Learning Center at the Main Library, 305 S. Michigan St.
GOSHEN — Goshen Health is hosting a Caregivers’ Navigation event from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 11 at the Arbor Conference Room in Goshen Hospital, 200 High Park Ave. This event is for caregivers who want to know what services are available to help get them through difficult times. Topics covered will include directives, what levels of care are available, how to decide what type of care is right for your loved one and making the home safer. Presenters include Larson Manifold, Firefly Homecare LLC; Sheena Whitaker, director of marketing for Greencroft Goshen; Paul Eash, elder law attorney; and Tom Rose, motivational speaker and author. The event will also include exhibitors and a free flu shot clinic. To register for this free event, visit GoshenHealth.com/Forms/Caregiver-Navigation-2023 or call 574-533-0626, ext. 7110.
MICHIGAN CITY — Franciscan Health is offering $49 self-pay lung scans on Nov. 11 in honor of National Lung Screening Day. Lung scans are simple, non-invasive computer tomography screenings that use a minimal amount of radiation. To qualify for a lung scan, patients must be over the age of 50, have smoked an average of at least one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years and have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer. Scans are available at Franciscan Health locations in Michigan City and hours vary. Appointments must be made in advance by phone, call 866-600-1919 to see if you qualify and to schedule an appointment.
Support Groups
SOUTH BEND — The New Hope Support Group will meet the first and third Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at Little Flower Catholic Church, 54191 N. Ironwood. This interdenominational group is for divorced, widows, widowers and anyone suffering grief due to the loss of a loved one. The group meets in a large area of the basement level of the church. For more information, call C. Forsythe at 574-252-2158 or P. Haden at 574-251-0131. The next meetings will be held Nov. 7 and Nov. 21.
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services offers the following support groups every month. Registration required.
Elkhart County
• First Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Beardsley Ave., Elkhart, 5 to 6:30 p.m. every second Tuesday, Norene Smith 574-303-9971.
• Greencroft, 1820 Greencroft Blvd., Goshen, 3 to 4:30 p.m. every fourth Tuesday, Amy Willhelm 574-537-4000 or Frank Piaskowy 574-903-1176.
• Waterford Crossing, 1332 Waterford Circle, Goshen, 6 to 7 p.m. every fourth Thursday, Lisa Zolinger at 574-534-3920.
• Brentwood at Elkhart, 3600 E. Bristol St., Elkhart, 2 to 3 p.m. every second Wednesday, Gayla Konanz at 574-232-8487.
LaPorte County
• Rittenhouse Senior Living, 4300 Cleveland Ave., Michigan City, 2 to 3 p.m. Central every third Wednesday, Debbie Burgess 219-256-1239 or Dorothy White 219-369-1247.
• Brentwood at LaPorte, 2002 Andrew Ave., LaPorte, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Central every second Thursday, Amy Harner 219-325-1599.
Marshall County
• Marshall County Council on Aging, 1305 W. Harrison St., Plymouth, 3 to 4 p.m. every third Thursday, Joe Collins 574-232-4121.
St. Joseph County
• Milton Village, 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, 10 to 11:30 a.m. every third Tuesday; or 10 to 11:30 a.m. every first Thursday, Norene Smith 574-232-4121.
• Hamilton Grove, 31777 Chicago Trail, New Carlisle, 1 to 2:30 p.m. every first Wednesday, Dorothy White 219-369-1247 or Sandy Papai 574-213-4637.
• North Woods Village, 1409 E. Day Road, Mishawaka, 2 to 3 p.m. every fourth Tuesday, Deejra Lee or Cristy Kaniewski 574-247-1866.
• Always Best Care, 310 N. Ironwood Drive, South Bend, 10 to 11 a.m. every fourth Monday, Gayla Konanz, 574-383-9010; or 11 a.m. to noon every second Tuesday, Patricia Spagnola, 574-383-9010.
• You Too! Caring for Caregivers, location changes, call for address, 2 to 4 p.m. every third Saturday, Wanda Dudley, 574-400-5021.
• St. Paul’s, 3602 S. Ironwood Drive, South Bend, 1 to 2 p.m. every third Wednesday, Kris Borkowski at 574-284-9000.
Virtual
• Call for virtual Zoom meeting invitation, 2 to 3 p.m. every first Wednesday, Joe Collins 574-232-4121
Blood drives
The American Red Cross will hold the following drives. Register at redcrossblood.org:
• University of Notre Dame Duncan Center, South Bend, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 6.
• St. John’s United Church of Christ, 101 St. John Road, Michigan City, noon to 6 p.m. CST Nov. 7
• Bremen Schools, 511 W. Grant St., Bremen, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 8.
• Culver Academies-Schrag Leadership Buildings, 1300 Academy Road, Culver, noon to 6 p.m. Nov. 9.
Medical Foundation will hold the following drives. Register at givebloodnow.com:
• University of Notre Dame, Young Leaders of Notre Dame, Library Circle, South Bend, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 3.
• Mayor of Plymouth, Fire Station, 111 N. Center St., Plymouth, 8 a.m. to noon Nov. 4.
• St. Jude Parish, 19704 Johnson Road, South Bend, 8 a.m. to noon Nov. 5.
• Buchanan High School, 401 W. Chicago St., Buchanan, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 6.
• Southwire Company, 515 Copperfield Way, Visitor Entrance, Bremen, 2 to 6 p.m. Nov. 7.
• University of Notre Dame, Math Deptartment and College of Science, Duncan Center, Gate D, South Bend, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 9.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Health Briefs in South Bend area for week of Nov. 3 to Nov. 9, 2023
