CARIBOU, Maine — Cary Medical Center in Caribou has announced a ‘Season of Wellness’ that will feature multiple health programs ranging from heart healthy nutrition to the hospital’s 35th annual health fair.
The hospital has been gearing up for a very busy fall season including the development of the Healthy You Walking Club and collaboration with multiple grant programs. Bill Flagg, Cary’s director of community relations and development, said Cary has long had a focus on wellness.
“The vision of our hospital is to create healthier community,” said Flagg, who developed the hospital’s original health fair 35 years ago with the Cary Auxiliary. “We now have so much evidence on how to live a healthy life into our later years. Our goal in the next several months will be to get people engaged in physical activity, eating healthier, and understanding how they can reduce their risk for chronic disease including diabetes, cancer and even Alzheimer’s disease.”
Cary’s award-winning Healthy You program will be the foundation of the hospital’s wellness initiative. The program was recognized in 2013 by the Maine Public Health Association (MPHA) with the Annual Program of Excellence Award. Healthy You offers a variety of health-related programs in six local communities. The programs are generally free of charge and are for all ages.
Kim Jones of Cary’s public relations office has directed the program from its inception eight years ago and said that thousands of people have participated in Healthy You.
“We have literally done hundreds of programs over the years and we have been so pleased with the community response,” said Jones, who will leave Cary later this month for a new position at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
The ‘Season of Wellness’ will begin with the first Healthy You Walking Club group walk at the Aroostook Centre Mall on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
“Walking has been shown to prolong life, improve mental ability, combat depression, and allow you to experience a deeper emotional and spiritual connection when used in the appropriate doses”, said Flagg, who is an avid walker. “We are excited with the public response to our initial marketing activity and we hope to build to 100 members by the fall season.”
People who join the walking club receive a free wristband, membership card and smartphone app to track their miles, time and calories. Walkers can go online at carymedicalcenter.org and register for the program, log their miles and download the pedometer app. Members of the club will also receive monthly health tips on the benefits of being physically active and other health information. The first 50 people to participate in the on Sept. 8 will receive a free hat.
Cary will also partner with the University of Maine at Presque Isle for the college’s ‘Week of Wellness’ Sept. 15-17, and on Sept. 25, Cary’s diabetes educator, Erica Ouellette, RN, will be at the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle for a talk on risk factors for type ii diabetes. The programs continue into October with programs on Parkinson’s disease, mind body medicine, stroke awareness, community flu shot clinics and the hospital’s annual health fair, scheduled for Oct. 17 at Caribou High School.
For more information visit carymedicalcenter.org, the Cary Facebook page or call Cary Community Relations at 498-1112.
