Health news
Gastric Bypass support

The monthly meeting of the Gastric Bypass Support Group of St. James Mercy Health System will be held on the third Monday of every month from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Cafeteria at St. James Mercy Hospital. The next support group will be held May 19.

The free support group is open to anyone who has had a gastric bypass or is considering one.

For more information, contact Faith Mills at 324-5869 or tmrcj@yahoo.com.

Diabetes support

• The monthly meeting of the Diabetes Support Group of St. James Mercy Health System is held the third Tuesday of every month at 3 p.m. in the cafeteria at MercyCare on Bethesda Drive in North Hornell. The next support group will be held May 20.

For more information call Judy Griffith at 324-8139.

• "Diabetes On Target" Education and support group meeting will be held at 7 p.m. June 11 at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 32 East Morris St. Bath. The meeting is open to the public. For questions call 776-4065 x1.

• "Diabetes On Target" Education and support group meeting will be held at 7 p.m. June 16 at the Savona Federated Church, 20 Church St., Savona. The meeting is open to the public. For questions call 776- 4065 x1.

Cardiac support

The Cardiac Support Group will meet on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., in Cardiac Rehab, second floor, at St. James Hospital. The next support group will be held June 11. Hospital bills or Medicare questions?

Financial Representatives will be available on the second Tuesday of every month from 1-2 p.m. to answer questions regarding hospital bills or Medicare at St. James Hospital. This is a free service offered to any individual and no appointment is necesssary. The next service will be held June 10.

For questions call 324- 8040.

Grief Support Group

• The new Evening Grief Support group; "Good Grief Group" will be held the second and forth Monday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Hospital Chapel on the ground floor. The next meeting will be held on May 26.

For more information contact Deacon Bob McCormick in the Spiritual Care Office at 324-8153.

• A Grief Support Group will be offered at 1 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month in the McAuley Manor Chapel located on the second floor of St. James. The next meeting will be held on June 11.

For more information contact Deacon Bob McCormick at St. James Mercy Hospital Spiritual Care Office at 324- 8153.

Want to quit smoking?

The Bath VA is offering the Quit Smart Program to assist eligible veterans to stop smoking. To find out if you are eligible and/or to enroll, contact the Behavioural Health Clinic at 664-4300.

Senior home care

The Steuben County Office for Aging can assist senior citizens and their families explore the many options for home care and support services for eligible senior citizens.

Call the Office of the Aging for more information at 776- 7813.

Free health care services

Free health care services are now available in Bath for people who have no health insurance or means of payment.

Call for an appointment, 776-8085 Ext. 218. Health Ministry of the Southern Tier, Bath Community Care Center, 23 Liberty Street, Bath.

Traumatic brain injury

A Taumatic Brain Injury Support Group will be held at 5:30 p.m. every third Tuesday of each month at Pro Action of Steuben and Yates, Inc., 117 East Steuben Street, Bath. The next support group will be held on May 20. The support group is for individuals or families of a person with a brain injury. For more information call Sharon Johnson at (315) 538-8018.

Alzheimer's support

The Alzheimer's Association offers a monthly caregiver support group in Elmira for people who have a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. Meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of each month from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Staffkings Health Care, 221 W. Church St. The next support group will be held June 3.

For more information contact the Alzheimer's Association at (585) 760- 5400.

Transportation assistance

Steuben Coordinated Transportation, in partnership with Office for the Aging and the United Way of the So. Tier, offers transportation assistance to Steuben County residents (not on Medicaid) to medical, nutritional, or other necessary services. Transportation assistance is offered by referrals to area services or by arranging for a volunteer driver to transport qualified clients.

If you are a senior citizen without transportation to necessary, non-emergency appointments, please call HELPLINE at 1-800-346- 2211 and ask for Steuben Coordinated Transportation. Donations are accepted but there is not a fee for any services given.

Residents of any age interested in becoming a volunteer driver and a vital part of our community are also invited to call for more information. (Mileage reimbursement is available to volunteer drivers.)

Immunizations

If your child is in need of immunizations, the Steuben County Public Health and Nursing Services will sponsor the following clinics for April under the direction of the local Meidical Director. Adults are encouraged to attend the immunization clinic to receive Tetanus/Diphtheria vaccine which is recommended eary 10 years. The cost for that vaccination is $20. The clinics are as follows:

• From 5-7 p.m. May 28 at the Steuben County Public Health and Nursing Services, County Office Building-G3 off D.S.S. lobby, Bath.

Anyone with special needs or for further information call the Steuben County Public Health and Nursing Services office in Bath at 664-2438 or (800) 724-0471.

STD/HIV clinics

The Steuben County Public Health and Nursing Services will sponsor free HIV and Sexually Transmitted Disease clinics, by appointment only, as follows:

• From 9-11 a.m. May 22 at the Steuben County Public Health and Nursing Services Clinic Rooms, County Office Building, 3 East Pulteney Square, Bath.

These clinic services are available to all residents of Steuben County for HIV counseling and testing and for testing and treating sexually transmitted diseases which include Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Trichomonas.

For an appointment or information, call the Steuben County Public Health and Nursing Services at the Bath office at 664-2438 or (800) 724-0471.

Blood pressure clinics

The Steuben County Public Health and Nursing Services will be sponsoring blood pressure clinics for the month of April as follows:

• From 12-1 p.m. May 22 at the County Office Building, Bath.

Anyone with special needs or for further information, call the Steuben County Public Health and Nursing Services office in Bath at 664-2438 or (800) 724-0471.

MDA seeks volunteers

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is searching for summer camp volunteers who are looking for a rewarding and memorable experience. Volunteer counselors are needed to assist young people with neuromuscular diseases and help them enjoy a fun-filled MDA summer camp from June 28-July 3 at the Rotary Sunshine Campus in Rush, NY. Applicants must be at least 16 years old and able to life and care for a young person between the ages of 6 and 21.

To obtain a volunteer application or learn about other ways to support MDA's summer camp program, call your local MDA office at 723- 7431. More information about summer camp volunteers can be found at www.mda.org/clinics/camp.