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Health education goes back to school too with the Centers for Disease Control's
BAM! Body and Mind portal
. Find health information, classroom materials, games, quizzes, and more for ages 9-12, their parents, and teachers.
Parents can be puzzled by the various rashes that appear on their kids' skin - but visual aids all too often only show Caucasian skin, and it can be difficult to identify the serious from non-worrying for darker-skinned people. The
Brown Skin Matters
Instagram project is filled with reference images of dermatological conditions on non-white skin.
Santa Clara County, and most of its cities, has joined the
Dementia Friends USA
initiative. This is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia.
The U.S. Office of Health and Human Services has issued a fraud alert about a scam involving billing Medicare for genetic tests. If you receive a "free" medical genetic screening or test kit, don't accept it unless it was ordered for you by your healthcare provider.
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Falls are also implicated in the deaths of most older adults in the U.S. Even if not deadly, a fall can have a major impact on a senior's quality of life.
For checklists and advice on "fall-proofing" the home environment, see PlaneTree Health Library's webpage for
Caring at Home.
A charming online game,
Spot the Hazard
from the UK-based Falls Assistant, walks you through a virtual home.
For older adults, however, medications can greatly increase the risk of falling, and the more medications you take, the higher the risk of a damaging fall (or of an adverse drug reaction).
Older patients often see multiple doctors, with limited communication occurring between providers, leading to medication overlap or overkill. Or doctors may misinterpret the effects of overmedication as a new disease symptom and prescribe yet another drug. It's a very good idea to review your medications often (not just prescriptions but also any over-the-counter products like vitamins, cold remedies, or herbal supplements that you take regularly).
Check these resources to see if you're taking one of the more problematic medications, and if so, talk with your doctor about the risks.
Preventing Falls: 10 Types of Medications to Review if Youre Concerned About Falling
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Suicide Prevention & Awareness
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Emergency Preparedness
September in National Preparedness Month and the Santa Clara Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is encouraging all residents to take steps that could be beneficial during an emergency or disaster. They currently provide a 12-month program that makes it easy for you prepare yourself, your family, and your community for emergencies or disasters. Being prepared in an emergency may not prevent disaster, but can greatly reduce risks to your personal health and the environment.
Ready.gov offers fantastic resources to help you prepare for emergencies.
Because communication is unreliable in an emergency, it's very important for families to have a plan in place. There are steps you can take to increase the likelihood of reaching your family and friends in the event of disaster, including signing up for emergency
text
alerts, downloading mobile
app
s, keeping a landline phone or designating an emergency meet-up area.
Older adults have special preparation needs when disaster strikes. If you or someone in your family has mobility difficulties or chronic health concerns, think through various scenarios (evacuation, power outage, fire, storm, etc.) to be better prepared.
Having an emergency kit ready is always a good idea. The Santa Clara County provides a great
resource list of basic items
to have on hand in case of an emergency. A good rule of thumb is to have enough supplies to last for three days (or 72 hours).
Your pets are important members of your family. Be prepared to take care of pets and other animals during natural disasters by implementing a disaster plan and creating emergency kits. Having a plan, and up-to-date supplies, could make the difference in keeping your pets safe. Sturdy leashes, carriers, medications and first aid kits are all included in this fantastic emergency pet care list provided by the American Red Cross.
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You are invited to the nation's third largest miniature show during the weekend of October 13 and 14. As a maker, collector, or curious browser, you'll enjoy the phenomenal artistry of the miniatures displayed by 100+ national and international vendors. Exhibits, an auction and workshops for adults and kids are also featured in this fundraiser.
We're always looking for enthusiastic individuals looking to gain volunteer experience. If you would like to help - or get into the show for free - please email us so we can send you information about volunteering. For more information, please visit our website.
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Events
All events are open to the public. Some require pre-registration.
.
9/10 from
11:30am - 1pm (San Jose)
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Public Libraries in Santa Clara County offer many free fitness classes (tai chi, yoga for adults and for kids, Zumba, meditation), plus healthy eating programs and workshops on growing food by the Santa Clara County Master Gardeners.
Santa Clara County Public Library Special Event
For details, check the following events calendars:
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Please support our free health information services!
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PlaneTree Health Library is not responsible for the content on web sites accessed from our newsletter. Each originating organization has sole responsibility for its web pages.
Health and medical information accessed through our newsletter is not intended to replace or substitute for the advice or instruction of a health care professional. Please discuss the information with your health care providers.
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