Community health fair at Faith Presbyterian Saturday
A community health fair this weekend in Cape Coral will offer free screenings to the public.
Lee Memorial Health System’s Parish Nurse Program, in conjunction with Right at Home In Home Care & Assistance and the Shell Point Retirement Community, will host the event from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday at Faith Presbyterian Church. There is no fee for admission; the fair is open to all ages.
Nancy Roberts, manager of the Parish Nurse Program, explained that this is the fourth year for the health fairs. Four are held every year – in the Cape, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Sanibel.
“It’s a really fun event, and people get to learn a lot,” she said.
Health care professionals will conduct the screenings, which cover memory, varicose veins, balance, glucose, skin cancer, hearing and vision, spinal alignment, blood pressure, foot health and more.
“You can go to different professionals around the room and be screened,” Roberts said.
Last year, approximately 160 people attended the fair in the Cape.
“We were able to identify several abnormal situations where the individuals were recommended to see a physician or get further testing,” she said.
Roberts noted that the results of the tests are not a diagnosis.
“They are screenings to make you aware of a situation before it becomes a problem,” she said.
The hearing and vision screenings are popular, as well as the memory screening. The Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center and the Alzheimer’s Association administer the memory screenings.
Participants in the Parish Nurse Program will provide body mass index, or BMI, screenings to help individuals determine if they are over or underweight, as well as help with advance directives.
“Advance directives are legal documents that help your loved ones and physicians know what your wishes are at end-of-life,” Roberts said.
A child life specialist from the Golisano Children’s Hospital will also be on hand.
“They’ll be there to help children understand safety issues,” she said.
Topics will cover bicycles, helmets and more, and child fingerprinting will be available.
“There’ll be resource booths, as well as screening booths,” Roberts said.
For example, if it is recommended that a person see a physician or seek further testing following a screening, but does not have a primary doctor, he or she is provided with a list of physicians.
“We have resources available for you to go to if you have a problem,” she said.
One screening available at the fair does come with a cost and requires advance registration. LMHS offers a Heart Report Card, which is an ultrasound testing of the heart and vessels of the body. There are two Heart Report Card packages that will be offered – one costs $99 and the other costs $140.
To sign up for the screening, contact Faith Presbyterian Church at (239) 542-2858.
Door prizes and healthy snacks will be provided to attendees.
“You will know your body and see if anything is changing,” Roberts said of attending.
The Parish Nurse Program is part of the Spiritual Services Department of LMHS.
Anyone interested in becoming a parish nurse can contact Nancy Roberts at (239) 343-5182. The annual Foundations of Faith Community Nursing credential course will be held June 4-6 and 12-14.
Faith Presbyterian Church is at 4544 Coronado Parkway.