AUG. 19
Stroke and osteoporosis screening at 9 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 26 Crystal Ave., Derry. Screenings involve the use of ultrasound technology and scan for potential health problems related to blocked arteries, aortic aneurysms and hardening of the arteries in the legs. Also offered for men and women is a bone-density screening to assess their risk for osteoporosis. All four screenings take less than an hour to complete. The cost for a wellness package of all four screenings including free osteoporosis screening is only $129. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 877-237-1344. Registration is required.
ONGOING
Dr. Matthew Curley has been named medical director of the Sleep Center at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. Dr. Curley has been a member of the medical staff since 2006, serving as a pulmonary intensivist and Sleep Center consultant. He is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, critical care and sleep medicine. Located at the Medical Center's West Campus, the Sleep Center provides comprehensive sleep studies for patients with all levels of sleep disturbances and sleep-disordered breathing. The center is open seven nights a week and serves the needs of more than 100 patients each month. For more information, call the Sleep Center at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center at 577-5777.
Rockingham County ServiceLink Resource Center offers free services, information and support that address the unique needs of seniors, adults with disabilities and/or chronic illness, and their families and caregivers. Transportation, housing, Medicare, Medicaid, financial, legal assistance, health issues, health insurance, prescription assistance, wellness programs and social activities are just some of the areas where ServiceLink can assist. Rockingham County ServiceLink Resource Centers are located in Salem and Portsmouth and can be reached by calling 866-634-9412 or by e-mail at info@rockinghamservicelink.com.
New caregiver support group will meet the third Thursday of every month from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at SarahCare, Hampstead. Light refreshments will be served. Your loved one does not need to be a member of SarahCare in order to participate. For more information or to register, call 329-4401.
The Alexander Eastman Foundation, Partners In Health program serves children with chronic illnesses from birth to 21 years of age in the towns of Atkinson, Chester, Danville, Derry, Hampstead, Londonderry, Newton, Pelham, Plaistow, Salem, Sandown and Windham. For more information on these programs, please go to www.nhcf.org, www.areaagencynh.com and www.nepassage.org.
Massage therapy at St. Joseph Hospital. For more information or to book an appointment, call Elise at 429-9777. The fee is $25 per 30-minute session and $45 per hour.
Swiesz Family Chiropractic LLC, 320 Sandown Road, Unit 3, East Hampstead, sponsors a free massage program for local companies. Dr. Swiesz is offering local employers an opportunity to offer 10-minute chair massages for their employees on the job site. Certain restrictions may apply. Call Cheryl, the program coordinator, at 475-5673.
Parkland Medical Center offers a cardiology support group to those who have heart disease, those who want more information on how to live a healthier lifestyle and those who have cardiac risk factors. The support group meets at Parkland Medical Center's In-Service education classroom the first Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. To register, call 432-1500, ext. 307.
Leigh Brennan, LPN, from the Roger Dionne, MD, Senior Center at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua will be available to sit one-on-one with seniors to perform nursing assessments. Assessments include: checking blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, and pulse rate; ear wax removal; reviewing medications for possible duplication, drug interaction and proper administration; and providing individual health education including the importance of good nutrition, exercise, and other specific topics. Free. Bring insurance card for the ear wax removal service. By appointment only. To make an appointment, call the center at 595-3722.
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, 4 Birch St., Derry has new hours and now offers teen walk-in hours on Wednesdays. Private insurance and Medicaid are welcomed for services and contraceptives dispensed on-site. Emergency contraception is available over the counter for adults and with a prescription for minors. New hours are: Monday through Wednesday, noon to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday Teen Walk-in hours are 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays,.8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 to 12:30 p.m. Call 434-1354 or visit www.ppnne.org.
The physicians from Nashua Podiatry Associates, Howard Wagenberg, David R. Kosofsky, and Kathleen O'Keefe, will see patients during their monthly podiatry clinic at The Roger Dionne, MD, Senior Center at St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley St., Nashua. This clinic is for the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of the lower extremities. It also provides treatment for common foot problems and conditions associated with diabetes and other vascular diseases. Appointments are scheduled every third Thursday of the month. Bring insurance card and other health care information. By appointment only. To make an appointment, call 595-3722.
2008 I Can Cope Series, offered by St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, is a free program for people facing cancer, either personally, as a friend or family caregiver. Communicating Concerns and Feelings, Sept. 10; and Taking Charge of Money Matters, Nov. 12. Classes are held from 3 to 5 p.m. To register, call 595-3168 or visitwww.stjosephhospital.com.
Mothers' support group will meet on Tuesdays at the Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua from 9 to 10:15 a.m. for moms who children ages 7 to 12 months, and from 10:30 a.m. to noon for moms of newborns to 6-month-olds. A registered nurse facilitates weekly sessions that include health teaching and occasional guest speakers. For more information or to register, go to www.snhmc.org or call 577-2255.
A breast cancer support group meets every Friday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Nutfield Professional Building, 44 Birch St., Entrance A, Suite 209, Derry. This free service is offered by Parkland Medical Center. Call Barbara Umansky, oncology social worker, at 421-2347.
An ovarian cancer support group meets on the third Monday of every month from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Parkland Oncology Clinic, Nutfield Building, 44 Birch St., Entrance A, Suite 209, in Derry. Registration is required. Call Barbara Umansky at 421-2347 to register.
Community Health Services is enrolling new members. For those who do not have health insurance, cannot afford the costs of commercial coverage and are not covered by Medicaid or Medicare, Greater Derry Community Health Services may be able to help. It is a primary health care and prevention program for low-income, uninsured residents of Atkinson, Chester, Danville, Derry, Hampstead, Londonderry, Plaistow, Salem, Sandown and Windham. CHS provides access to affordable care, medication and other necessary services including oral health when needed. All inquiries are confidential. Call 425-2545 or stop by the office at 41 Birch St. in Derry for more information.
St. Joseph Hospital Lifeline provides personal response services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to seniors in Greater Nashua. The service provides quick assistance whenever personal support is needed, especially in a medical emergency. By pushing a lightweight, waterproof button that can be worn around either the neck or the wrist, a subscriber is immediately connected to a trained monitor who has instant access to the caller's complete health history and will quickly link each subscriber to the care they need. For more information about this service, call St. Joseph Hospital Lifeline at 866-674-9900, ext. 4333.
Brown bag lunch Thursdays are weekly meetings that welcome new and seasoned participants. Bring a lunch on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. and dine and chat in Women Supporting Women Center style. "New and Good" will be discussed followed by a go-around regarding a particular topic. Topics can be seasonal, current-events oriented or totally original. Call ahead when planning to attend. Held at Women Supporting Women Center, 111 Water St., Exeter. For more information or to register, call 772-0799 or go online at www.wswcenter.com..
Derry Medical Center/Londonderry Family Practice offers Weight Sense, a weight-management program, on Mondays from noon to 1 p.m. and Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Derry Medical Center, Overlook Medical Park, 6 Tsienneto Road, Derry. Registration is required by calling 537-3033.
A weight-loss challenge session meets at the Marion Gerrish Community Center in Derry on Tuesday nights at 6:30. The classes aim to bring people together to encourage each other to lose weight and be healthy. The meetings cover nutrition, food choices and exercise. Call Annie D'Alessandro to register at 505-2679.
Community Caregivers of Greater Derry's Loaner Closet is in need of rolling walkers with seats, bath chairs and other items. To donate items or if you are in need of equipment, call Caregivers at 432-0877.
St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua hosts healthy senior clinics the third Thursday of each month. Assessments include checking blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, pulse rate, ear wax removal, medication review and other health education. Call Dr. Roger Dionne at the hospital's Senior Center at 595-3722. By appointment only. Clinic is free.
Are you a single parent? Parents Without Partners, a nonprofit and social group run by volunteers, invites all to monthly social events to meet others in the same situation to discuss single parenthood. Call for information at 669-4275.
St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua offers an eight-week yoga program providing tools to help with recovery for women with any stage of breast cancer. Yoga benefits include enhanced self-image, better sleep, elevated energy levels and better concentration. Cost is $60, and registration is required. Call 882-3000 for schedule or to register.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness Manchester meets the second Thursday of each month with an educational meeting; a support meeting is the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the CAO Building, Independence Place, 15 Constitution Drive, Bedford. For information, call 497-3078.
Volunteers are needed to drive patients to and from cancer treatments. To volunteer for the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery program, call 1-800-ACS-2345.
Cardiology support group meets at Parkland Medical Center the first Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, call 432-1500, ext. 3076.
Bereavement support at Parkland Medical Center in Derry, in collaboration with Derry/Salem Home Health and Hospice, meets Tuesdays at Derry/Salem Home Health and Hospice, 1E Commons Drive, Londonderry. Group meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. For information, call 421-2347.
Brain tumor support group meets at Derry Public Library's lower conference room the second Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m.
Al-Anon has been helping men and women for more than 50 years. Call 877-825-2666 or visit www.nhal-anon.org for information. A men's focus group meets Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at 257 Main St., Nashua.
A women's cancer support group meets the third Friday of each month at the Nutfield Professional Building, 44 Birch St., Entrance A, Suite 209, Derry. The professionally led group provides support and information to women coping with all types of cancer. For information, contact Barbara Umansky at 421-2347.
Greater Derry diabetes support group meets at Parkland Medical Center in Derry on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. For information about the group, call 432-1500, ext. 3229.
Feel Safe Again Inc., a local nonprofit organization helping victims of stalking become survivors, offers presentations throughout the year and gives safety tips and the tools needed to help people better protect themselves. Schools, organizations and hospitals interested in scheduling a presentation are asked to contact the outreach coordinator at 888-99B-SAFE or e-mail support@feelsafeagain.org.
Foot clinics by Rockingham Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice are for people over 60 who can no longer perform their own foot care. Clinics are in Chester, Derry, Londonderry, Windham and Hampstead. Appointments are necessary. There is a suggested donation of $20 for the first visit and $15 for subsequent visits. Call Rockingham Visiting Nurse Association for times and dates at 432-7776 or 800-540-2981.
Overeaters Anonymous meets Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center in Derry; Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at First Parish Church, Hampstead Road, Derry; and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center in Derry.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters seeks volunteers for its school-based mentor program. Volunteers meet with a child for 40 minutes, one day a week, on school grounds. For information, call 434-4414.
Volunteers needed once a month for a team that helps youths with the issues they face. For information, call Diane Casale at 432-8882.
Miracle on Wheels makes electric wheelchairs available to nonambulatory senior citizens at no out-of-pocket expense if they qualify. No deposit is required. Call 800-749-8778 for information.
Derry/Salem Home Health and Hospice seeks volunteers for its hospice program to provide companionship, respite care services and support to patients and families. All volunteers receive training and work with other caregivers. Call Donna Nichols, volunteer coordinator, at 437-9443.
Easter Seals, 555 Auburn St., Manchester, offers a caregiver group for those caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. The group meets the third Tuesday of the month from 4 to 5:15 p.m. Respite care is provided at Easter Seals' Alzheimer's Adult Day Program. Call Linda Frost at 621-3565 for information.
High Hopes Foundation needs volunteers. The organization grants wishes to seriously ill New Hampshire residents between the ages of 3 and 18, including requests for trips to Disney World, computers and wheelchair-accessible vans. Volunteers help to schedule trips, shop for computers and help at fundraisers and in the office. Call the Merrimack office at 429-1010.
The Center for Life Management offers a weekly support group for families coping with a loved one with mental illness. Families Cope is a 12-step self-help and support group for concerned family members and friends of adults who suffer with mental illness or serious brain disorders. Two weekly meetings are Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Kelley Library, 234 Main St., Salem, and Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway, Derry. For information, call George Fisher at 434-9937 or e-mail gfisher@clmnh.org.
Easter Seals New Hampshire in-home respite program provides flexible, short-term temporary care at home. Call 621-3550 for information.
Parkinson's support group meets in the Derry area for those with Parkinson's disease and their families and friends. Call Sally Machia at 432-6414 or 432-2679 for information.
Birthright of Southern New Hampshire offers free pregnancy tests and pregnancy services to women or girls distressed by an unplanned pregnancy. Other services include counseling referrals, community resources and medical referrals, all in a confidential, nonclinical atmosphere. Call 434-3000 for information or the 24-hour hot line at 800-550-4900.
An HIV support group meets every Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 77 Pearl St. in Manchester. Must be a project client to attend. For information on becoming a client, call 623-0710.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of New Hampshire needs volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children. Forty hours of training provided. Call 626-4600 for information.
A group for people with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or any chronic pain meet the third Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Hampstead Old Meeting House, Emerson Avenue.
InfoLink: Information offered about public and nonprofit agencies in Rockingham, Strafford and southern York counties. Call toll free at 888-499-2525 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Greater Derry Community Health Services Inc. is a community-based primary health care program that assists low-income, uninsured residents from 10 communities surrounding Derry in receiving health care and prevention services in their own community at affordable rates. CHS is an income-eligible program. For more information, call 425-2545, or stop by 41 Birch St. between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Greater Salem/Derry Alliance for the Mentally Ill offers support for people with mental illness and their family members and friends. In Salem, the group meets the third Thursday of each month from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Kelley Library, 234 Main St. In Derry, it meets Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway. For information, call 894-5815 or 898-5208.
Home Health Visiting Nurse Association serves the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire and offers free senior health clinics. The clinics focus on preventive care and assists senior citizens in maintaining good health through blood pressure checks, nutrition and medication counseling. For information, call 470-3800.
The New Hampshire chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society offers monthly support groups for people with MS and their families. For information, contact the chapter at 800-639-3501.
The Manchester Red Cross Blood Center, 425 Reservoir Ave., has blood donation hours Mondays, noon to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 7 p.m. and two Saturdays per month from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call 625-1951 for information.
