Features Editor

A health fair for senior citizens ages 60 and older will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22 at the Colley Senior Complex.

Hassie Green, assistant director of Senior Services, said the health fair will be very beneficial to all seniors, regardless of their health status.

"We are offering a variety of services including free health screenings – cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure," Green said. "We will also have vision and hearing screenings and exercise instructions, so dress comfortably if you would like to participate."

Green said one very important aspect of the health fair will be medication counseling.

"It is very important to know about the medications you are taking," she said. "Some medicines do not go together and it is important, for you health’s sake, that you are taking the right combination of medicines so they do not fight against each other."

Participants are asked to bring their medications so the medication management counselors will be better able to advise them.

Individual medicine organizers will be given to all participants, who have a need for them.

"We will also have insurance counseling available for those who have questions or concerns about their insurance or about acquiring additional insurance," Green said. "Booths will also be set up to provide information on a variety of health subjects that are of special concern to senior citizens."

All seniors are encouraged to participate in the health fair – for their health’s sake.

"This is a service that is being offered free of charge and we hope that everyone will take advantage of it," Green said. "The health fair will be open for four hours to make it convenient for our seniors. There is plenty of parking space at the Colley Senior Complex and participants can get in and out easily. We hope to have a large number of seniors to participate. This is a good opportunity to get health screenings and valuable health information all at one time and at one location."

The Colley Senior Complex is located at 715 Elm Street.

The Health Fair for Senior Citizens is sponsored by the South Central Alabama Development Commission Area Agency on Aging. Lab tests will be conducted by Senior Advantage of Baptist Medical Center, Montgomery.