Annual Health and Wellness Fair

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PITTSFIELD – Hillcrest Commons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center will be hosting its second annual Health & Wellness Fair on Wednesday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hillcrest Commons, 169 Valentine Road, Pittsfield.

The public is encouraged to attend the fair, which will include an array of free health screenings, including Cholesterol, Glucose, Blood Pressure, and Vision. In addition, physicians from several community health and wellness resources will offer information and demonstrations on skin safety, chiropractic work, health insurance enrollment, CPR and much more.

Vendors will include Berkshire Health Systems Accent on Health Wellness Van, providing cholesterol screenings and health insurance information, Berkshire Visiting Nursing Association will be offering blood pressure screens and information on services, the Women’s Imaging Center at Berkshire Medical Center will provide information on breast health, Michael Glasser, MSRD, with information on nutrition and weight education, Beltone Hearing Aid Associates offering free hearing screens, Elder Services of Berkshire County providing information for senior services, Grover Chiropractic will offer mini-chiropractic sessions and information on back health, Home Instead Senior Care, and the Berkshire Alzheimer’s Partnership will provide information on Alzheimer’s resources and information on how to detect the disease.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for people to learn where they stand health wise, and to understand ways to improve their lives,” said Kittler. “There is no better time than the present to begin to focus on your health and we encourage everyone to come to this exciting event.”

In addition, with Massachusetts health care reform requiring residents be covered with health insurance, officials from Accent on Health will provide coverage information that is not only important from a health and financial perspective; but also from a financial standpoint as those without insurance face potential tax surcharges.

“This is essential information for anyone who may not be covered, or is having difficulty with the rising costs of health insurance, as there are new affordable alternatives in Massachusetts,” said Kittler. “No one should be without health coverage and we are all working together to make sure that everyone in the Berkshires has some sort of insurance.”

The health and wellness fair is free and open to the public, however, there is a limited number of cholesterol screens. In order to reserve a cholesterol screen, please call Hillcrest Commons at 413-445-2300.

Hillcrest Commons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is a part of Berkshire Healthcare Systems, Inc. (BHCS), a nonprofit company providing comprehensive short-term rehabilitation, subacute care and skilled nursing, and residential services in many communities across Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Headquartered in Pittsfield, Mass., Berkshire Healthcare is an affiliate of Berkshire Health Systems. The organization operates 16 skilled nursing facilities with more than 2,300 beds, a continuing care retirement community and an assisted living facility. BHCS also employs more than 2,800 people.

BHCS facilities provide care to a diverse group of people, including long-term residents who are very frail and sometimes very ill; short-term patients who get rehabilitative care after surgery and then return home; and specialty care for those with certain chronic ailments such as Alzheimer’s disease, or such specialized services like ventilator or bariatric care.

Today, more than half of the people receiving care in nursing facilities return to their own homes or assisted living facilities after a brief rehabilitative stay.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

BVNA Nurses Raise Funds for Berkshire Bounty

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Massachusetts Nursing Association members of the Berkshire Visiting Nurses Association raised $650 to help with food insecurity in Berkshire County.
 
The nurses and health-care professionals of BVNA have given back to the community every holiday season for the last three years. The first year, they adopted a large family, raised money, bought, wrapped and delivered the gifts for the family. Last year, they sold raffle tickets and the money raised went to the charitable cause of the winner. 
 
This year, with food insecurity as a rising issue, they chose to give to Berkshire Bounty in Great Barrington.
 
They sold raffle tickets for a drawing to win one of two items: A lottery ticket tree or a gift certificate tree, each worth $100. They will be giving the organization the donation this month.
 
Berkshire Bounty seeks to improve food security in the county through food donations from retailers and local farms; supplemental purchases of healthy foods; distribution to food sites and home deliveries; and collaborating with partners to address emergencies and improve the food system. 
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