Residents urged to embrace ‘Healthier U’

Photos by Tom Rivers

GAINES – Orleans Community Health is promoting healthier lifestyles at a series of events this year around the county.

The outreach effort began on Tuesday with a “Healthier U” open house at The Village Inn in Childs. Several local health providers and agencies had displays at the event, which started with a healthy breakfast with no fried foods.

The Albion Urgent Care health center was among the participants with a display at the event. Jennifer Herring, left, is office manager at the site run by Orleans Community Health and Randi Johnson, right, is a physician’s assistant.

About 40 people attended the event. Orleans Community Health is the parent organization for Medina Memorial Hospital. The organization is planning many events at the hospital and Medina this year, and will also be leading health events throughout the county in 2015, said Jim Moody, executive director of the Orleans Community Health Foundation.

“This is a community-wide effort to educate residents on different topics to make them healthier,” Moody said.

Dr. Ahmet Guler, a cardiologist, speaks with Ron Felstead, a member of the Orleans Community Health board of directors. Dr. Guler spoke at the Healthier U event on Tuesday, and highlighted programs for healthier hearts at the hospital and Orleans Community Health.

Orleans Community Health is planning at least a monthly outreach event where residents can connect with health professionals.

The next event, “Ask the Doctor,” will be Feb. 26 at Calvary Tabernacle Church (the old Medina High School).

Jen Maynard, the director of radiology and corporate compliance for Orleans Community Health, also spoke about the benefits of the new CT scan machine at Medina Memorial Hospital. The machine gives hospital staff much improved imaging when scans are taken of a brain, chest, abdomen and pelvis.

The CT scanner replaces one from 2001. The new one is a 64 slice CT scan compared to a 4 slice. Besides better imaging, the new machine exposes patients to 33 percent less radiation, Maynard said.

“It’s something that not every place has,” she said. “We’re fortunate to have it in our community.”