Pottstown Hospital – Tower Health is showing people that preventing serious health problems can be as easy as a walk in the park with its Medicine on the Move series.
The walk and talk event takes place in the spring and fall. The hospital invites community members to receive their health education directly from the source, a doctor, by joining the doctor for a morning walk. The doctor will talk about an important health topic as well as prevention tips. All participants receive a pedometer, a healthy snack and water.
Casey Fenoglio, manager of the community wellness program at Pottstown Hospital, said the walking series is the result of a community needs assessment in 2018. Based on the assessment, the hospital learned that the community has a great need for chronic disease prevention and management.
“By just coming to the event, you’ll already be on the right track,” Fenoglio said.
There will be a 10 a.m. walk on Saturday, October 30 at Limerick Community Park. Dr Michael Messina specializes in orthopedic surgery and will be discussing joint health at the event.
“As we age, our joints naturally wear out,” Fenoglio said. “There are certainly preventative measures that individuals can take to prevent joint damage. “
She said people who join the walk on Saturday will learn recommendations on how to maintain good joint health, such as through stretching, nutrition and regular exercise. Participants will also learn when to seek help if they experience joint pain.
The next Medicine on the Move program will take place at 10 a.m. on November 6 at Riverfront Park in Pottstown. Dr Nainesh Patel specializes in cardiovascular disease. He will discuss heart failure and heart attacks.
“Around the world, heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women,” Fenoglio said.
She said Pottstown has a high rate of overweight and obese people, and people with diabetes and heart disease.
“The good news with heart disease is that it’s actually preventable. By controlling some of these risk factors, we are able to reduce our chances of having a heart attack by 80%, ”Fenoglio said.
She said preventative behaviors include improving your diet, getting regular fitness, not smoking, and not consuming a lot of alcohol.
Fenoglio said the pandemic has caused people to move with more and more mental health issues. Regular physical activity and reducing stress are two ways people can improve their health.
Fenoglio said the pandemic has also resulted in a decrease in the number of people receiving their regular cancer screenings.
“Last year, due to the pandemic, an estimated 35% of people across the country did not undergo their annual cancer screening,” she said. “This means that we are going to see an increase in cancer mortality over the next two years. “
Fenoglio said the hospital encourages the community to undergo regular screenings so that conditions such as cancer can be detected early.
Each Medicine in Motion session has limited space. People can register online at bit.ly/PottstownMedicineOnTheMove. People can also contact Casey Fenoglio at 610-327-7035 or email [email protected]
