Balance and Mobility Class Offered by Fairview Rehabilitation Department

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Balance and Mobility, a four-part health education program designed to help older individuals stay strong, mobile, and independent, will be offered by the Fairview Hospital Rehabilitation Department at Berkshire South Regional Community Center on four consecutive Thursdays starting on Sept 26 at 12 noon. To advance the health and wellness of the community, the program is free of charge.  
 
Falls are one of the leading causes of hospitalization among older adults. Each program will focus on one aspect of mobility and provide strategies and exercises to educate the community on fall prevention.  
 
Fairview's Director of Rehabilitation Services, Victoria Guy, PT, DPT, notes the purpose of the program is to raise awareness of the risks that are common in an aging community.  
 
"Our goal is to focus on tools and information that will help our community in preventing falls and show the importance of strengthening that they can do themselves each day that will help them avoid falls and related injuries," Guy said. 
 
To register, call (413) 854-9744 or email vguy@bhs1.org for more information.

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Elevated Mercury Level Found in Center Pond Fish

BECKET, Mass. — The state Department of Public Health has issued an advisory after a mercury-contaminated fish was found in Center Pond. 
 
According to a letter sent to the local Board of Health from the Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention, elevated levels of mercury were measured in the sample taken from the pond. 
 
The concentration in the fish exceeded DPH's action level of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram, or parts per million. 
 
"This indicates that daily consumption of fish from the waterbody may pose a health concern. Therefore, DPH has issued a FCA for Center Pond recommending that sensitive populations should not eat chain pickerel and all other people should limit consumption of chain pickerel to 2 meals/month," the letter states.
 
The letter specifically points to chain pickerel, but the 60-acre pond also has largemouth and smallmouth bass and yellow perch.
 
The "sensitive populations" include children younger than 12, those who are nursing, pregnant, or who may become pregnant.
 
The Toxicology Division recommends reducing intake of "large, predatory fish" or fish that feed on the bottoms of waterbodies, such as largemouth bass and carp. More information on safely eating fish can be found here
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