Staying Fit and Fabulous at Fifty and More:
Oct 29, 2009
2nd Dine & Learn Symposium on Baby Boomer and Senior Health
Brooklyn, NY - On Friday, November 6, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and its community partners—The Brooklyn Tabernacle, AARP New York, the NYC Department for the Aging, and the Fort Green Council, Inc.— will provide a triple treat for baby boomers and seniors: free talks, health screenings, and a nutritious meal.
To be held at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, located at 17 Smith Street, the 2nd Dine & Learn Healthy Baby Boomer and Savvy Senior Symposium is a public event featuring talks by physicians and other health providers on ways to treat and prevent heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and other conditions. Experts will also offer advice on financial planning, Social Security benefits, managed care, help with prescription drug coverage, and other practical concerns for seniors and seniors-to-be.
“Because staying physically active and eating healthy are very important, this conference is geared toward helping baby boomers and seniors make the choices that will improve their quality of life,” says event organizer Karen Jemmott, director of physician outreach at SUNY Downstate. “Poor health and the loss of independence are not inevitable consequences of aging.”
A Social Security educational workshop will begin the proceedings from 4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. to help people understand their benefits.
Health discussions begin at 5:00 p.m., with talks on such topics as how to prevent or treat heart disease, diabetes and its complications, colon cancer, and HIV/AIDS, and on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and exercise.
Free screenings will be available for blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer risk, prostate, vision (glaucoma), and HIV.
More than 50 community organizations and commercial exhibitors will be present to provide additional information and advice on topics as diverse as advanced directives and the health care proxy law; environmental safety; consumer protection; elder abuse; health insurance; long term care; medication management; mental health; substance abuse; retirement options; skin and dental care; and much more.
If you have questions about the medications you are taking, a “Brown Bag” medication review will be available from a Walgreen’s pharmacist – just bring all your medications. Additional health advice will be available from local Brooklyn physicians.
Everyone will receive a free copy of Daily Living in Brooklyn: A Healthy Senior Resource Guide that provides information on how to access physicians, programs, and resources in the community.
A healthy meal will be served and gift bags will be distributed to each attendee. There will also be competitions for prizes (gift cards, certificates, and coupons) during question/answer sessions.
The event is free, but registration is required. To register, or for more information, call 718-270-7350.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.