By Khalida Sarwari
Want to spend Halloween Day decorating pumpkins but need to get that flu shot out of the way first? The Saratoga Senior Center has a solution to that: a health and wellness expo that offers both.
The senior center is holding its annual health expo on Oct. 31 to offer services and resources to residents in Saratoga and in surrounding cities. And because the event falls on the auspicious occasion of All Hallow’s Eve, organizers are planning a Halloween-themed afternoon, according to Lisa Huening, president of the Saratoga Area Senior Center board of directors.
“I’m excited about it because it’s very interactive,” Huening said.
Among the services that will be available that day are flu and shingles vaccinations, massages, hearing and vision screenings, podiatry, spinal assessments, acupuncture and blood pressure tests. A health professional will also discuss physical balance for seniors as well as other senior support services.
Attendees will be given a passport booklet to keep track of their screenings. The best part is all services are free.
Last year’s event at West Valley College was held in conjunction with El Camino Hospital and drew about 500 people, according to Huening. That event offered attendees a chance to speak to doctors and try out new high-tech equipment. This year’s will focus more on active types of assessment, she said.
“It’s going to be a little more intimate, which I think is going to be nice, but still gives so much value, I think, to families,” said Huening.
The city has been offering the event in conjunction with the city of Saratoga for at least the last six years, according to Huening.
“It’s a commitment that we’ve made to the community of Saratoga that health and wellness is important to us and it’s important that we help our community in that regard,” Huening said. “Being able to expose the community to different ways of staying healthy is important to the senior center.”
Registration is not required. The event is open to all ages and takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Joan Pisani Community Center, 19655 Allendale Ave. Additional parking will be available at city hall and Redwood Middle School.
Link: Nothing scary about it, but health and wellness expo in on Halloween
