Coping with Grief
A community series on coping with loss, bereavement, grief and end-of-life issues continues this month with “Now That You’ve Died, Who Am I? The Discussion Continues.” The seminar, which is free to the public and professionals in the field, takes place 8:30-10:30 a.m. Sept. 16 at the Senior Friendship Center/Rubin Center for Healthy Aging (first floor, Dwyer Room), 1900 Brother Geenen Way, Sarasota. CEU/contact hours for LMHCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, RNs and LPNs will be available for $10. Seating is limited. Please RSVP to Miriam Lacher at Sarasota Memorial’s Bayside Center for Behavioral Health at (941) 917-1779.

Addictions & Aging
Memory loss, disorientation, shaky hands, mood swings, depression and chronic boredom often are normal signs of aging. But in many cases, these behaviors also can signal substance abuse in the elderly. Nationally, studies indicate that up to 70 percent of hospitalizations among elderly patients due to illness or injury are alcohol-based (compared to 25 percent for the population at large). To learn more about this growing national problem, join us for “The Changing Face of Older Adult Addiction: From Lawrence Welk to Jerry Garcia,” a free community event for the public and professionals in the field, 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 19 in Sarasota Memorial’s first floor auditorium. Carol Colleran, executive vice president of the Hanley Treatment Center, will be the keynote speaker. CEUs are available to professionals for $10. Please RSVP to Miriam Lacher at Sarasota Memorial’s Bayside Center for Behavioral Health at (941) 917-1779.

Be Heart Smart
If you are concerned about your personal or family history of cardiovascular disease, learn more about a simple series of tests that can detect its earliest symptoms at a free community presentation 6 p.m. Sept. 24. Sarasota Memorial’s Cardiovascular Disease Assessment Center staff will share the latest strategies doctors are employing to assess your risk for cardiovascular disease and steps you can take to safeguard your heart health. The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the community education room at Sarasota Memorial’s Institute for Advanced Medicine, about ½ mile west of I-75 off Clark Road. Call (941) 917-6969 for information.

October Is Breast Health Month
Mark your calendars for these important community events:

• Breast Health Symposium – A free community education event featuring Sarasota Memorial physicians and breast health specialists discussing the latest advances in early detection, treatment and prevention, 9-11a.m. Oct. 25, in Sarasota Memorial’s first floor auditorium. Register online or call our HealthLine at (941) 917-7777 for more information.
• Key to the Cure – Sarasota Memorial is pleased to be the recipient of proceeds from “Key to the Cure,” a weekend shopping event sponsored locally by Saks Fifth Avenue and Mercedes Benz. During the four-day event, Oct. 16-19, 2008, the Sarasota Saks will donate 2 percent of sales to benefit Sarasota Memorial’s Women’s Cancer Programs. To date, this event has raised more than $400,000 to further breast, ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer research and related projects in the Sarasota/Manatee community. For more information, visit the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation website at smhf.org.

Perfect Prescription for Weight Loss
Every person is different. Your weight management plan should be, too. If you’ve been thinking about getting your weight under control or diabetes in check, Sarasota Memorial offers a number of programs to suit diverse schedules, budgets and needs.

• Eating Healthy for Life – a four-week program that focuses on menu planning, grocery shopping, restaurant eating, exercise and education. A healthy balance of one-on-one counseling and free support group helps participants overcome key barriers to weight loss. Upcoming sessions begin Sept. 3, Oct. 1 or Oct. 29. Classes are held in the Waldemere Medical Plaza, 1921 Waldemere St., 6-7:30 p.m. Cost is $200. Register online or call our HealthLine (941) 917-7777 for more information.
• Weight Management Partners Program – For a more intensive, medically supervised program of diet, exercise and education, try Sarasota Memorial’s eight-week Weight Management Partner Program. Each week, participants meet with a multi-disciplinary team of health and fitness experts to assess and refine customized weight loss strategies and help meet your personal goals. For more information, attend a free introductory class 6 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Institute for Advanced Medicine, about ½ mile west of I-75 off Clark Road. The next eight-week session starts Sept. 22. Register online or call (941) 917-4998 for more information.
• Diabetes Treatment Services – Too often, diabetes is an unfortunate complication of obesity. For individuals and family members dealing with diabetes, free support groups and individualized treatment services are available. For more information, call (941) 917-7468.
• Weight Loss Surgery – When other programs have proven ineffective despite your best efforts and weight issues are threatening your health, bariatric surgery may present a viable solution for you. Sarasota Memorial’s bariatric surgeons perform both the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and gastric banding procedures with remarkable success rates. For information, attend one of our free monthly information sessions at Sarasota Memorial’s Care Center at Blackburn Point in Osprey (gastric bypass sessions are held 6-8 p.m. the second Thursday of every month, and gastric band sessions are held 6-8 p.m. the third Thursday of every month). Call HealthLine at (941) 917-7777 for information or visit our website to register online.