Health

Arguing that a child has no way to escape the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, a Columbus Democrat told a Senate committee yesterday that it’s time for Ohio to ban smoking in vehicles with passengers younger than 6.

The American Red Cross will conduct open blood drives at the following Marion County locations this month:

Continuing the state's efforts to address the growing problem of prescription drug addiction, Tuesday Director Orman Hall, of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS), announced the launch of Don't Get Me Started, a statewide public service campaign that speaks to young adults and their friends and family, in partnership with the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA).

Officials say that in 2007, accidental drug overdose became the leading cause of injury death in Ohio, surpassing motor vehicle crashes and suicide for the first time on record.

Marion General Hospital’s registered dietitians want you to learn how to become heart healthy by learning how to eat healthy. To do this, they have developed a class that helps with grocery shopping, reading labels, making healthier food choices, and learning how to prepare foods in a healthy manner.

On Tuesday, January 31 the Alzheimer’s Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter will be offering a program titled “Lifestyle for a Healthy Brain,” at Kettle Run, 1780 Whetstone Street, Bucyrus from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Senior Sleep Disorders is the topic of a Community Chat presented by Lynn Shafer, Marion Area Sleep Lab Manager, on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 from noon to 1:00 pm at the Kingston Residence of Marion. Having a sleep disorder can cause significant negative effects on a person’s mental and physical health, including changes in mood and mental acuity.

To help boost the numbers of breastfeeding women, the Marion Public Health’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is offering a free Breastfeeding Basics Class and Breastfeeding Support Group for WIC and non-WIC participants alike. The goal of these programs is to help breastfeeding Mothers successfully achieve their breastfeeding goals and dispel myths.

GriefShare is a special weekly seminar/support group for people grieving the death of someone close.  It’s a place where you can be around people who understand how you feel and the pain of your loss.  Organizers say that at GriefShare, you’ll learn valuable information that will help you through this difficult time in your life.

Ohio Lieutenant Governor and Department of Insurance Director Mary Taylor has announced savings realized by Medicare enrollees during last fall's annual Medicare Open Enrollment period. Specifically, the Ohio Department of Insurance's Ohio Senior Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) helped consumers save $757,000 during the nearly eight week open enrollment period.

One of the least acknowledged and least addressed concerns in our society is grief, the normal and natural reaction to loss. Marion General Hospital Hospice is offering an outreach program to help guide those who wish to resolve their loss issues and move beyond their grief to a richer quality of life.