Health & Wellness

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With vaping a growing problem in local schools, the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition (DFC) recently held an anti-vaping, anti-drug poster contest at the high school.

Six South Tahoe High School students were recognized last week for their creativity and artwork, and three of the entries will be used in an anti-vaping campaign to draw awareness to the growing problem not only in South Lake Tahoe but across the globe.

The awards went to:

1st place: Madison DialTuttle - $200
2nd place: Alexandra Otomo - $100
3rd place: Aeris Wright - $50

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Barton Health’s surgery department offers state-of-the-art technology with the recent acquisition of a $2.1 million da Vinci Xi Surgical System. The da Vinci Xi System features the latest in robotic-assisted surgery that is minimally invasive and can reduce a patient’s time in the hospital. Barton offers robotic surgery procedures in the areas of colorectal, gynecology, and general surgery.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Barton Memorial Hospital received an ‘A’ grade for patient safety, recognizing Barton’s system-wide measures in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care.

Choices for Children of South Lake Tahoe is holding Parent Cafe, and evening with food, adult conversation and a chance for parents, grandparents, caregivers to get together and make connections. You are not alone in this journey.

The free evening on November 12 shows those interested in making their families stronger about the small, but significant changes that support not only them, but also the community, in their journey.

The Parent Cafe will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Cowork Tahoe which is located at 3079 Harrison Avenue #12. Childcare will be provided.

The public is invited to a Community Health Fair in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday, October 17 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Bijou Community School;s multi-purpose room. Get free or reduced services including flu shots and free dinner from Tacos Por Favor.

El Dorado County will be offering their low-cost flu shots - $10 for everyone six months and older, but they won’t turn anyone away that can’t pay.

Free services include:

- Primary care will be there conducting blood pressure, temperatures, and pulse oximetry
- Covered CA enrollment counselors
- CPR training

PAL Group is a support group for parents of addicts.
We meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays in the back of Lake Tahoe Christian Fellowship Church at 3580 Blackwood in South Lake Tahoe at 5:30 PM.

The meetings are confidential.

For further information please contact:

DeeDee Gooding at 530-318-2520

gooding4@charter.net

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Signs highlighting suicide awareness have been placed around the campus of Lake Tahoe Community College, all in preparation for the third annual Awareness Walk: Emily's Walk for Hope on Saturday.

Walk organizer Lisa Utzig Schafer of the Suicide Prevention Network got the signs up in time for the college's new student celebration. The group is inviting the community to participate in the walk that focuses on remembering those lost to suicide and to help end the stigma surrounding suicide.

Join Barton Family Medicine's Kelly Vial, FNPc for parent education about the 'Risks of Vaping' on Thursday, September 12 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness.

With vaping on the rise this free wellness lecture will provide background on what vaping is and the potential dangers, especially with adolescents.

Find out the following:

What is "vaping" and what are the risks?
What do vaping devices look like and what's really inside?
What is vaping on the rise, especially in teens?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Fifteen local health programs offered by nonprofits and agencies in the South Lake Tahoe area have been awarded grants by the Barton Foundation. A total of $50,000 was distributed among the groups to aid in their efforts to address the community’s most pressing health issues.

During the 2018 Barton Community Health Needs Assessment, the top health issues identified in the South Lake Tahoe community were access to care, mental health, and substance abuse.

Summer is here and after a snow-packed winter, locals and visitors alike are ready to get out and enjoy Lake Tahoe. Whether out on the water, lounging on the beach or hiking to a rock outcropping to take a plunge, there are important precautions to keep in mind with water surface temperatures and cold water immersion.

Grief impacts everyone and sometimes it can feel isolating. The best thing to know is you are not alone.

Join the Lake Tahoe Foster Care and Kinship free community lecture on Tuesday, May 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the school's Creekside Room. Everyone is welcome and the event is free.

You are invited to a special Carnivores Anonymous meeting presenting John Merryfield, a poet, surfer, activist, and co-author of the book, "Vegan 1 Day, Stories of Living the Good Life".This is guaranteed to be an inspiring, thought-provoking meeting.

Please note, this event is not a potluck, but attendees are encouraged to bring a vegan treat to share. Hope to see everyone there. And bring a friend!

Location

Attend a free parenting two-night workshop, No Drama Discipline, at Lake Tahoe Community College on May 14 and 21, 2019 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

No Drama Discipline unlocks the secrets of discipline; what works and what does not, and why - and what to do when you are pulling your hair out. We will discuss the insights and techniques to make you a better parent as written by Dan Siegel and Tina Bryson in the book, No-Drama Discipline.

Learn how trauma affects the brain and tips for improving mental health for adults and their children at the next free community training series at Lake Tahoe Community College on Tuesday, May 7 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

You will leave with tools that build resiliency.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District is hosting a blood drive at their Round Hill firehouse on Tuesday, May 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. You can be a lifeline to someone in need this May and receive a $10 Amazon eCard as a thank you.

The simple act of giving blood could have a monumental impact on up to three people in need of a blood transfusion. Every drop that you give is vital for a patient in need.

Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District Blood Drive
Tuesday, May 14
11:00 - 5:15 PM

The Foster and Kinship Care Education (FKCE) program at Lake Tahoe Community College is offering a free class at Lake Tahoe Community College on "Neurodiversity: ADHD, Autism Spectrum, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities, Differently Abled vs Special Needs." It will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the college's room B103.

NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness, including co-occurring addiction.

Find out more on local efforts from the El Dorado County NAMI President Jeanne Nelson on April 30 at 5:30 p.m. in the Creekside Room at Lake Tahoe Community College.

She will provide ideas about how to help yourself, friends or family members that may need support.

Location

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Live Violence Free is offering their spring Crisis Intervention training this May, giving the public the opportunity to work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in the state of California.

This certification can help with volunteer and employment opportunities for people interested in working with this population. They give this training just twice a year.

Did you know that Medicare has an ombudsman to help you resolve complaints you may have about your healthcare?

Congress created the job of Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman to assist people with Medicare with their inquiries, complaints, grievances, appeals, and requests for information.

The Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman also shares information with Congress, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and other organizations about what works well and what doesn’t work well to improve the quality of the care you get through Medicare.

Carson Tahoe Care Center, an advanced care center designed to deliver high-quality memory care, skilled nursing and transitional rehabilitation services opening this spring, is now welcoming residents to its memory care community. This center, which is part of Prestige Care Inc., will offer the most comprehensive memory care and skilled nursing services in the region.

As the seasons shift from cold, dry, and grey to warm, damp, and sunny we can easily become swept up in the shift and can lose ourselves in the change. Yoga is a practice of establishing balance, ease, and steadiness. The better we become at recognizing how seasonal changes affect us, the more harmonious we will feel year round.

Understand Your Surroundings

You may have heard something lately about “preventive health care.” What does that mean?

At its most basic, preventive health care means living a healthy lifestyle. Eat a balanced diet. Exercise regularly. Maintain a healthy weight. And stop smoking.

Like anyone else, people with Medicare can benefit from healthy living habits. But Medicare covers a wide variety of shots to help you stay healthy. It also covers numerous tests to help detect diseases early, when they’re in their most treatable stages.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue is hosting a blood drive on Monday, March 25. 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person — the gift of life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components — red cells, platelets and plasma — which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There is a free legal seminar on Friday, March 8 to help caregivers and family members of those with mental illness navigate the system to remove barriers and improve access to care for their loved ones in South Lake Tahoe and the surrounding communities.