Health Briefs column for July 8, 2012

Scleroderma

The Baton Rouge Scleroderma Support Group will meet at 5 p.m. Monday at the East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.

Family Service

Family Service of Greater Baton Rouge, 4727 Revere Ave., will offer counseling services for children, individuals and families who need help with a wide range of emotional, behavioral and relationship problems from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. For more information, call [phone].

BR General

Baton Rouge General will hold the following events this week:

• A smoking cessation program will meet from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Monday at the Bluebonnet location, 8585 Picardy Ave., Pennington Cancer Center Conference Room. The General’s Stop Smoking program is led by certified smoking cessation facilitators, who help participants find their own way to stop smoking. It consists of small group sessions that take place over a seven-week period. Registration is required by calling [phone].
• Weight Loss Surgery Support Group will meet from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at the Bluebonnet location, Conference rooms 1 and 2. Call [phone] for more information.
• Healthy Steps: Lebed Exercise Program, healing through dance and movement, will be from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Mid City location, 3600 Florida Blvd., and from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Bluebonnet location. The event is free. Call [phone] to register.
• A free skin cancer screening will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Bluebonnet location. Register at http://www.BRGeneral.org, or call [phone] for information.
• A weight loss surgery seminar will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Bluebonnet location. Register at http://www.BRGeneral.org.
• A child birth preparation class will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Bluebonnet location, Conference Room 2. Register at http://www.BRGeneral.org. Fee is $50 per couple, and refreshments are included.

Cancer Services

Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, 550 Lobdell Ave., will hold the following events this week:

• “YogaThrive: Yoga for Cancer Survivors” will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at The Red Shoes, 2303 Government St. Registration is required.
• Brain Cancer Support Group will meet at noon Monday at the office.
• “Fit & Fearless: Total Body Workout,” an exercise program for cancer survivors, will be at 5:15 p.m. Monday at BREC Independence Park, 7500 Independence Blvd. Registration is required.
• “Fit & Fearless: Total Body Workout” will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at BREC Independence Park. Another class will be at 5:15 p.m. Thursday. Registration is required.
• After Hours Cancer Support Group will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the office.
• West Feliciana Parish Support Group will meet from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church, 9856 Royal St., St. Francisville.
• Multiple Myeloma Support Group will meet at noon Wednesday at the office.
• “Zumba Gold” will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at BREC Independence Park. Registration is required.
• Caregiver Support Group will meet at noon Friday at the office.

For more information, call [phone] or visit http://www.cancerservices.org.

HIV services

The following HIV services will be offered this week:

• Family Service of Greater Baton Rouge, 4727 Revere Ave., will offer free, confidential HIV testing and counseling from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the office. No needles and no blood are necessary, and results are ready in 20 minutes. For more information, call [phone] or visit http://www.fsgbr.org.
• Metro Health will offer free, confidential HIV testing from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the Dr. Leo S. Butler Community Center, 950 E. Washington St.; from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and from 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 4000 Gus Young Ave.; and from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at EKL Mid-City, North Foster Drive at Gus Young Avenue. Syphilis testing will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Butler Community Center. For more information, call [phone].

Grief Recovery

The Grief Recovery Center, 4919 Jamestown, Suite 101, will offer the following events and opportunity this week:

• A support group will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the office.
• A bereavement support group for adults will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 14040 Greenwell Springs.
• A bereavement support group for adults will meet from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Hospital, 1125 W. La. 30, Gonzales.

All support groups are free and confidential.

• Speakers are available on request to talk on various topics dealing with grief.

For more information, call [phone] or visit http://www.grcbr.org.

Woman’s Hospital

Woman’s Hospital, 9050 Airline Highway, will hold the following events this week:

• A free Baby and You Orientation Tour will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Monday at the hospital, Conference rooms 2-3, first floor.
• “Prenatal Yoga” will be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Saturday at Destination Maternity, 5921 Bluebonnet Blvd. Cost is $12 per class.
• “Baby Steps,” a light exercise class for moms to do with their babies, will be from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and 5:30 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. Thursday at Destination Maternity. Cost is $12 per class.
• “Special Delivery,” a class on the basics of labor, will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and again Thursday at the hospital, Conference rooms 1-3. Cost is $35 per couple.
• “Strong Mamas,” an exercise class to prepare for pregnancy body changes, will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday at Destination Maternity. Cost is $12 per class.
• “Weight Loss Surgery: What You Should Know” will be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the hospital, Conference rooms 1-3, first floor. The event is free.
• “Basics of Breastfeeding and Pump Pointers” will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Woman’s Center for Wellness, 9637 Jefferson Highway. Cost is $20. The event is for women only.
• “Tyke Hyke,” a class designed to help prepare 3-year-olds for the new baby and mom’s hospital stay, will be from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Saturday at the hospital, Conference rooms 1-2. Cost is $25 per child.
• “A Baby is Coming — Sibling Preparation for Children” will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the hospital, Conference rooms 2-3, first floor. Cost is $25 per child. Parents should plan to attend with their children ages 4-8 years.
• “Children at Birth” will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the hospital, Conference rooms 1-3, first floor. Cost is $25.
• “Doulas and Comfort Measures for Labor” will be from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Destination Maternity. Cost is $5 per couple.

Register at [phone], or for more information, visit http://www.womans.org.

Huntington’s

The Huntington’s Disease Support Group will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at the East Baton Rouge Parish Bluebonnet Regional Branch Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd. A talk will be on research and advocacy.

DBSA

DBSA — Depression and Bi-Polar Support Alliance (Opens Arms Chapter) will meet from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at La Madeleine Café, 7615 Jefferson Highway. The meeting is open to those diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder as well as family and friends. Call [phone].

OLOL diabetes

Our Lady of the Lake’s Diabetes Education & Awareness Group will meet from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the hospital’s first-floor auditorium. Chareze Wells of the OLOL Diabetes & Nutrition Center will speak on “Sick Days and Diabetes.” Call [phone].

Survivors of Suicide

The Survivors of Suicide support group for survivors whose lives have been impacted by the loss of a loved one, neighbor, co-worker or friend to suicide will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center, 4837 Revere Ave. The service is free. Call [phone] for an intake interview.

‘CancerFit’

“CancerFit,” a comprehensive wellness program from Our Lady of the Lake and Mary Bird Perkins designed to help cancer patients stay active and mentally fit, will hold a class, “Exercise for Your Life: Yoga for life with other exercises for life. Healing garden relaxation & guided imagery,” from 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of the Lake Plaza Diagnostics Building, Suite 112, and 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Friday at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Asphodel Room.

Classes are free and include an hour of yoga and guided meditation followed by a 15-minute presentation. For more information or to register, call [phone].

Grief support

The Community Grief Support Group, in partnership with several other local agencies, will meet at noon Tuesday at Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, 550 Lobdell Ave. The group is open to anyone coping with the loss of a loved one. Call [phone] .

The Hospice of BR

The Hospice of Baton Rouge, 9063 Siegen Lane, will offer the following event and opportunity this week:

• A free grief support group session will be at 6:30 p.m. at Ochsner Medical Center, 17000 Medical Center Drive. Call [phone].
• The hospice is seeking volunteers for patient/caregiver support, health fairs and office assistance. For more information, call [phone].

NAMI

National Alliance on Mental Illness will hold the following events this week:

• Family to Family Support Group will hold a meeting for family members/caregivers of people with a mental illness at 7 p.m. Tuesday at University Presbyterian Church, 3240 Dalrymple Drive. For more information, call [phone].
• Connection Recovery Support Group will hold a meeting for those whose lives are affected by mental illness at 7 p.m. Tuesday at University Presbyterian Church. Call [phone].

Red Cross

The Louisiana Capital Area Chapter American Red Cross, 4655 Sherwood Common Blvd., will hold the following classes:

• “Standard First Aid with CPR/AED” will be from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the office. Cost is $90.
• “Adult CPR” will be from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the office. Cost is $70.
• “Standard First Aid/CPR/AED, Adult and Child Plus Infant CPR Schools and Community” will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at the office. Another class will be July 17. Cost is $110.
• “Lay Rescuer First Aid and CPR/AED Instructor Training” will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, July 16 and July 17 at the office. Cost is $500.

Call [phone] or visit http://www.batonrouge.redcross.org.

Peoples Health

Peoples Health will hold the following events this week:

• “Zumba Gold” will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at YMCA A.C. Lewis, 350 S. Foster Drive. Registration will be at 9 a.m., and registration deadline is Monday.
• “The Works” will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Cortana Mall, 9401 Cortana Place. Registration will be at 9 a.m., and reservation deadline is Wednesday.
• “Cardio Line Dancing” will be at 9:30 a.m. July 17 at YMCA Exxon Mobil, 7717 Howell Blvd. Registration will be at 9 a.m., and registration deadline is Thursday.

To make reservations for the free events, visit http://www.myhealth.peopleshealth.com or call [phone].

Ochsner

Ochsner Medical Center, 17000 Medical Center Drive, will hold “Around Baton Rouge” at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Tin Roof Brewing Co., 1624 Wyoming St. Meet at the Tin Roof Brewing Co. for a facility tour. Afterward, enjoy lunch at the Pastime restaurant. Lunch is on your own. Call [phone] to RSVP. This is a Golden Opportunity event for adults 50 and older in the Baton Rouge region.

Co-Dependency

Co-Dependency Anonymous will have a 12-step meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at University United Methodist Church, 3350 Dalrymple Drive, Room 204 of the Trice Building. For more information, call [phone] or for literature, visit http://www.coda.org.

Alzheimer’s Services

Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area, 3772 North Blvd., will hold the following events this week:

• Lunch-N-Learn: “The Elephant in the Room: Is it or Isn’t It Alzheimer’s?” will be from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the office. The program will be presented by Rose Colley, LCSW. Lunch is free, but registration is required. Call [phone].
• “A Cause to Remember,” a free, one-hour informational session designed to increase awareness of the programs and services provided by Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area, will be at noon Friday at the office. After a light lunch, guests will take a tour of the organization’s award-winning adult day respite center, Charlie’s Place, and learn about volunteer opportunities. Reservations are required. RSVP at [phone].

St. Joseph Hospice

St. Joseph Hospice and its inpatient facility, The Carpenter House, will hold a bereavement support group meeting from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at Jefferson United Methodist Church, 10328 Jefferson Highway. To RSVP, call [phone].

Life Source Services

Life Source Services Hospice, 3049 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., will offer the following event and opportunity this week:

• A grief support group will meet from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the office.
• LSS is seeking volunteers for many of its projects. Call [phone].

Cardinal Hospice

Cardinal Hospice, 8280 YMCA Plaza Drive, 3-A, will offer the following event and opportunity this week:

• A grief support group will meet from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the office. The group is free and open to the public.
• The hospice is looking for volunteers to do clerical work, visit patients and/or run errands for family members. Call [phone].

Foot Institute

The Diabetic Foot Institute, 5428 O’Donovan Drive, Suite D, will offer complimentary diabetic foot screenings on Fridays. Screening will include thermal imaging, blood flow study, gait analysis and neuropathy screening. Call [phone] to schedule.

Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society will offer the following opportunities:

• Volunteers are needed to drive patients to cancer treatments.

Requirements are a car and insurance, safe driving skills, and availability to drive as little as one morning or afternoon a month.

There will be a Road to Recovery training from 11 a.m. to noon July 19 at 10529 Kentshire Court.

• Additional volunteers are also being sought to staff the ACS’s Cancer Resource Center.

For more information, call [phone].
Sisters Network

Sisters Network Baton Rouge, an affiliate chapter of Sisters Network Inc., a national African-American breast cancer survivorship organization, will hold its first “Pretty in Pink” Luncheon and Fashion Show Fundraiser at 11 a.m. July 28 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Keynote speaker will be Constance Saizon, pastor of Hughes United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge and St. Landry United Methodist Church in Gonzales. Donation is $40. Call [phone].

Doctor’s Hospice

Doctor’s Hospice-Livingston, 9788 Florida Blvd., Suite B, Walker, is looking for veteran volunteers for its We Honor Veterans Program to share their journey with veteran patients. Volunteers are also needed for patient visits and office work. For information on volunteer training, call [phone].

Battered women

The Battered Women’s Program invites anyone who has suffered or is suffering abuse at the hands of an intimate partner to attend its group meetings. Call [phone].

Alcoholics help

Alcoholics Anonymous, a fellowship of men and women who help each other recover from alcoholism, meets daily. Call [phone] or visit http://www.aa-batonrouge.org.

Al-Anon/Alateen

Al-Anon Family Groups, a 12-step program to help those affected by someone’s problem drinking, holds meetings daily in the Baton Rouge area. There are no fees.

Meetings are confidential. Call [phone] or visit the website, http://www.batonrougealanon.org.

Overeating help

Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step program without dues, fees or diets, holds meetings seven days a week in the greater Baton Rouge area. For details, call [phone] or visit http://www.oabatonrouge.org.

Gambling help

Gamblers Anonymous, a support group for people with gambling problems, holds multiple meetings every week in Baton Rouge, Baker, St. Francisville, Gonzales and Hammond.

For dates, times and locations, call (877) 770-STOP or [phone].

Narcotics Anon.

Need help with a drug problem? Narcotics Anonymous holds daily meetings. Call the helpline at [phone].