Older Americans' Mental Health Week

May 24-30 is Older Americans' Mental Health Week. Depression and other mental illnesses are NOT a normal part of aging! The goal of this week is to raise awareness of the impact of mental illnesses in this age group, reduce stigma of mental illness and treatment, and encourage public policy that supports positive mental health in older adults. For more information, please visit the Older Americans' Mental Health Week website.

National Women's Health Week: May 10-16

Celebrate National Women's Health Week May 10 through 16, 2009. The theme "It's Your Time" encourages women to take simple steps towards a longer, healthier and happier life. During this week, women are encouraged to start eating healthy, exercise daily, and visit your doctor for routine screenings, as well as paying more attention to positive mental and emotional health! For more information, visit the National Women's Health Week website.

May is Older Americans Month

May is Older Americans Month! Older adults are the fastest-growing segment of the population, and Older Americans Month celebrates those over the age of 65. For more information, please visit the Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging.

May is Mental Health Month!

Mental Health Month is celebrated in May as an opportunity to provide information about positive mental health to the greater community. This year's theme is Life Your Life Well, and more information can be found on Mental Health America's 2009 website.

The Ohio Psychological Association, in collaboration with the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Care Center is sponsoring a Mental Health Month event on Wednesday, May 20th from 9-3pm. There will be twelve speakers on various mental health topics, as well as informational booths from local mental health organizations. For more information, visit the OPA Mental Health Month website.

CDC's Health Aging Program Bief

The CDC's Healthy Aging Program has released the 2nd Issue Brief in The State of Mental Health Aging series. The 2nd Issue Brief describes 3 selected evidence-based interventions for community-dwelling older adults.

The 1st Issue Brief (released in late 2008) presents national-level data on 6 indicators of mental health for adults 50 years old and older.

April 25 - May 2: National Infertility Awareness Week

Did You Know? April 25 - May 2nd is National Infertility Awareness Week. More than five million individuals and couples in the U.S. struggle with infertility, and those struggling with infertility may experience difficulty with depression, anxiety, self-esteem and identity. For more information about NIAW, please visit the RESOLVE website.

April 11 is World Parkinson's Day

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month in the U.S. but the entire world celebrates April 11th as World Parkinson's Day. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the disorder and research being conducted on Parkinson's, as well as being a day of advocacy for individuals with Parkinson's and their families.

For more information about Parkinson's Awareness Month, visit the National Parkinson's Foundation. Or for more information about Parkinson's Disease, visit the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) informational page.

FYI: CDC Report on Drug Use and Sexual Behaviors

From the CDC, Drug Use and Sexual Behaviors Reported by Adults: United States, 1999–2002 (opens as a .pdf file). Data are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and are for adults age 20-59.

NE Ohio Senior Adult Spelling Bee: Sunday, April 26

The NE Ohio Senior Adult spelling bee will be here soon! If you are 55 or older, and if you rarely need spell check, then consider enrolling for this free, fun, "social/cognitive" event on Sunday, April 26th, 2:00 pm at Laurel Lake Retirement Community in Hudson, Ohio (200 Laurel Lake Drive). Grand prize winner goes to Cheyenne, Wyoming for free (round trip for two plus hotel for two nights) and gets to compete in the AARP spelling bee for anyone age 50+. The other top 4 spellers will take home some very nice prizes as well. If you would like to just observe and have free food and entertainment, please do attend. Our theme is earth week and there will be environmental info available during the event as well.

We have a written round first and then the top spellers advance to the oral rounds.

To register as a contestant, call 330-678-9210 or via email: cha@en.com. There is more info on the site, www.centerforhealthyaging.com .

National Public Health Week April 6-12

Did You Know? April 6-12th is National Public Health Week. The theme for the week is Building the Foundation for a Healthy America. The American Public Health Association's website has information for individuals, families, and communities to improve our health and recommit to a healthier future.