Oaklawn health services to be highlighted April 9 at free Senior Fair

MARSHALL – In the spirit of good health and preventive care, hundreds of area residents will be looking for – and finding – solutions during the Marshall Area Senior Fair.

The free public event will be from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in the gymnasium of the Marshall Middle School, 100 E. Green St.

Oaklawn will be among many participants in the event, organized by the Calhoun County Office of Senior Services and the City of Marshall. The event will showcase information and services of interest to older adults, family members and caregivers.

“This is one of the many ways in which Oaklawn reaches out to the community to educate residents about its resources and services,” said Sara Andrews, Oaklawn’s services coordinator. “It’s all part of a broad-based effort to help keep older adults safe, healthy and aging well.”

Fair participants will be offered a light lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

During the day, several services from Oaklawn and Oaklawn Medical Group will participate, including Oaklawn Hospice & Homecare, OMG Pulmonology, OMG General Surgical Associates, as well as services involving speech, occupational and physical therapy, the Oaklawn Sleep Center, mental health services and cancer support groups. The Oaklawn Auxiliary and Volunteer Services also will participate.

Andrews said Oaklawn’s participation in the fair helps to address some of the most significant regional needs identified in the Calhoun County Community Health Needs Assessment, launched in early 2013.

“Those needs include proper access to care, and helping people to understand how best to deal with chronic disease, such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension,” she said.

“Our area’s older adults can find a great deal of guidance and understanding just by stopping in and looking at some of the exhibits this event will have on hand,” Andrews said.

Andrews cited the fact that Oaklawn offers convenient access to care to residents of Marshall and regional communities. Oaklawn provides a significant portion of its services beyond its main campus, including offices in Albion, Beadle Lake, Bellevue, Homer, Marshall, Olivet and Tekonsha.

For more information about the event, call Carl Gibson, manager of the Calhoun County Office of Senior Services, at (269) 781-0846.