It’s frightening when a health professional diagnoses you with heart failure. For most people, the words “heart failure” bring on fears of an imminent death. But once you realize the diagnosis doesn’t mean your heart is going to stop beating immediately, you need to learn skills to better manage your condition and you may also want to connect with others who have the same problem.
If so, a series of five free classes known as “The Beat Goes On” will be offered by Waldo County General Hospital on Thursdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. beginning May 1. These classes will be held in the classroom (on the ground floor of the Hospital).
The five classes and the instructors are:
• Thursday, May 1: You can do this: Self-Management Skills for Living Well with Heart Failure by Deb Czuchra FNP;
• Thursday, May 8: Ahhh: Managing the Stress of Heart Failure by Joanna Whiting RN, the hospital’s case manager;
• Thursday, May 15: Pump it Up: Exercising with Heart Failure by Teri Mace, physical therapy aid;
• Thursday, May 22: Pills and Me: Understanding the World of Heart Failure by Nancy Nystrom PhD, RPh, a pharmacist at the hospital; and
• Thursday, May 29: Eating Well with Heart Failure: Get the Low Down on Salt by Brooke Reed, Registered Dietician.
While the course is free, space is limited so register early by calling Barbara Crowley at 930-2650 or emailing her at bcrowley@wcgh.org.