Archive for August, 2012

Please join Black and Orange Cat Foundation for MARS Petcare’s 5th Annual “Adoption on the Lawn” on Sunday, September 9 from noon to 5 pm. The event, which is held on the lawn in front of MARS at 5115 Fisher Road, will feature adoptable dogs and cats (just a note–Black and Orange does not do same day adoptions–all of their normal adoption policies will stand and no cats will be able to go home with adopters the day of the event), music, kids activities, product giveaways, and prizes.

The adoption event will feature 15 local shelters and rescues including several purebred dog rescues (Columbus Cocker Rescue, Ohio Pug Rescue, and Ohio Rottweiler Rescue). Additionally, there will be several cat groups (Cat Welfare, Cozy Cat Cottage, as well as B and O), and shelters that feature both dogs and cats (Citizens for Humane Action, Humane Society of Madison County, Humane Society of Clark County, New Beginnings Animal Shelter, Pets Without Parents, Powell Animal Welfare Society, and Stop the Suffering).

Canine Collective and His Hands Extended Sanctuary will also be among the Elite 15!

We hope you will come out and support MARS and the animals at this fun event.

To print out a flyer please click the link: Columbus KKC Flyer 2012-final

The Union County Sheriff’s Office is hosting the third annual Safe & Sound in Union County, Community Safety Expo on Saturday, August 25 from 8 am to 1 pm at Bunsold Middle School, 14198 State Route 4, in Marysville.

The FREE Expo will feature safety seminars and presentations, demonstrations, as well as training sessions and resources for local youth, adults, seniors, churches, and members of the agricultural community. The purpose of this Expo is to “promote a safe environment in our community by connecting residents with local public safety service agencies and organizations.”

Some of the other presentations you can attend include: Electrical Safety, Senior Safety, Farm Safety, and many, many more. There will also be a prescription medication drop, so take all your outdated medicines for disposal.

A Farm Bureau Farmers Care Breakfast will start at 8 am.

The Ohio Wildlife Center and Med Flight will also be present.

For more information on presentations: Safe & Sound in Union County Presentations

Questions? Contact Deputy Kim Zacharias at the Sheriff’s Office, 937-645-4100, ext. 4471

Going back to school can be a stressful time for both parents and children. To help relieve a bit of this stress, I wanted to give everyone some health-related back to school tips for their youngsters to keep them healthy and happy this coming school year.

1)     Be sure your child is up to date on immunizations. Children are already very vulnerable to infection and disease and making sure your child has all the necessary immunizations is important to help protect not only them, but their classmates and teachers, as well. Parents should also communicate with the school nurse/office staff and make sure a copy of their child’s immunization records are on file at the school.

2)     Germ spreading prevention. Being in such close contact with other students, it is important to teach your child the importance of washing their hands regularly (or, at the minimum, using hand sanitizer), especially after they have used the restroom, have finished playing outside, or are going to eat. As parents, it is important to lead by example with this, because many children will respond much better when someone they look up to is doing the same things they should be doing. It is also important to stress to your children not to share food items like drinks or candy, and to not share other items like combs, brushes, and hats because this can lead to the spread of lice. Parents should also teach their children to cover their mouth with a tissue or sleeve when they are coughing or sneezing. Again, leading by example and reinforcement at home can help children get the message when it comes to germ-spreading prevention.

3)     Eating healthy.  It is important to teach your child about healthy eating habits. Many adolescents and teens who eat unhealthy are doing so because their parents have never taught them what healthy eating is. A high protein diet with fruits and vegetables and a limit on junk food is ideal, but not always realistic. If your child is a picky eater, consider using a children’s multivitamin to help “fill in the gaps” when it comes to nutrition. Controlling your child’s portion size is also a good way to help manage healthy eating.

4)     Knowing when to stay home. If you do notice your child is sick, do not hesitate to keep them home, for their safety and the safety of others. A fever of > 100^oF or a constant cough are good indicators of when to let your child rest and stay home for the day.

5)     Animals in school.  Animals and pets are a great way to teach children responsibility while still having fun. Again, it is very important to teach your child proper hand washing and hygiene while handling animals. Proper supervision by adults is also important when children are around pets. Read more HERE.

Hopefully, these tips will make the start of a new school year a more enjoyable and healthy one!  Thanks for reading.

Sources:

Dr. Simon from New Medical Health Care articles.kwch.com

www.cdc.gov

So what can you do to help prevent shingles? The answer is simple. Talk with your doctor about the shingles vaccine and see if it would be a reasonable option for you.  The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends the shingles vaccine for people 60 and older.  The shingles vaccine has been proven to reduce the risk of developing shingles by about 50%. Those who did develop shingles even with having received the vaccine, experienced a more mild form of the disease and had much less pain, both short term and long term.

Unlike some vaccinations (like the flu-shot–which everyone should be getting this fall in time for flu season), the shingles vaccine requires a prescription from your doctor. The vaccine can then be given at almost any pharmacy–like right here at Plain City Druggist!

So in summary, if you have ever had the chicken pox (or even if you haven’t), and you are 50 or older, talk with your doctor about the shingles vaccine. One conversation can prevent a lot of unnecessary pain and frustration for you and your family in the future.  Remember, prevention is the best medicine.

Thanks for reading.

Source: www.nfid.org (National Foundation for Infectious Diseases)

To see a slideshow on Shingles on WebMD, go HERE.

The Plain City Free Clinic is a satellite office of Madison County Health Partners, offering free medical services to uninsured residents in the southern one-third of Union County and northern one-third of Madison County. The clinic offers free doctor’s visits for routine medical conditions and provides referrals for laboratory services and other medical needs that can’t be taken care of at the clinic. Patients from the clinic may be referred to providers who have agreed to provide services at reduced or no cost for medical needs, including women’s health and mental health. The Plain City Free Clinic helps patients who qualify sign up for free medications through manufacturer’s patient assistance programs and also provides vouchers through Plain City Druggist so that patients can get their medications at no cost to them. Additionally, the clinic offers spiritual guidance by offering interested patients the opportunity to meet with a prayer partner. The clinic does NOT provide controlled substances, including narcotics.

The intention of the Plain City Free Clinic is to help those who are making a sincere effort to help themselves and their families. In our current healthcare system, many patients are without health insurance due to inability to pay increasing premiums, inability to obtain full-time work, or they are employed by employers who do not offer medical insurance. A $5 donation per visit is suggested in order to control costs and as an acknowledgement of the importance of provided health services.

The Clinic is held Saturdays from 9 am-11 am in the offices of Dr. John E. Adams II in Plain City, 480 South Jefferson Avenue (Route 42), Suite 500. An appointment is required. Patients with extenuating circumstances may call to arrange an appointment outside of regular clinic hours if necessary. Patients must meet the following three criteria in order to qualify:

1. Live in the Plain City area (Jonathan Alder or Fairbanks school districts)
2. Be currently without health insurance (private or government including Medicare and Medicaid)
3. Have a household income of 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines or less, based on family size

An initial phone interview will be conducted to verify that a potential patient qualifies. Qualifying income requirements are also available at the local library, 305 West Main Street in Plain City. If you (or someone you know) are in need of medical care or have questions about whether you qualify, please contact Charles and Zeta Holcombe at (614) 873-8600. You may also contact Jane with the Plain City Public Library at (614) 873-4912, Ext. 28.