St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Promotes Healthy Living for Seniors

Pontiac, MI—St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (SJMO) will offer Senior Fit, a free exercise program for older adults, at The Apostolic Church in Auburn Hills, at St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church in Pontiac and at St. Anastasia Roman Catholic Church in Troy.

Sponsored by SJMO’s Community Programs department, Senior Fit encourages seniors to exercise their way to a healthier lifestyle, and emphasizes physical health benefits and social interaction.  Among the areas to be covered are body strengthening and teaching the seniors how to guard against osteoporosis, maintain strong bones, control body fat, reduce stress and improve their sense of well-being.

The sessions will include floor and chair exercises, strength and flexibility training and balance techniques.  Cardiovascular fitness also will be emphasized. Thera-Bands will be used as part of the exercise regimen. A certified exercise professional will conduct the sessions.

 In addition to a team approach, the program includes supervision by an SJMO Faith Community Nurse (RN) to monitor the blood pressure of the attendees as well as give them health goals and health instruction. 

Adults age 55 and up are encouraged to attend. The sessions run through May 14. A physician’s approval is required for participation.  Physician forms will be available at registration and can be mailed to seniors who pre-register by phone.  Seniors must be able to walk on their own. 

Sessions at all three churches will begin on Jan. 11, 2010. 

• The Apostolic Church, 3655 Squirrel Rd., Auburn Hills, will begin its one-hour sessions at 9:30 a.m.  Remaining sessions will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 
• St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church, 69 S. Astor, Pontiac, will have Senior Fit sessions from 11 a.m. to 12 noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 
• St. Anastasia Roman Catholic Church, 4571 John R Rd., Troy, will have sessions from 1 to 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

The first meeting for each program will include registration and a fitness assessment.

The public is invited free of charge.  For information or to register for Senior Fit, call SJMO Metabolic Nutrition and Weight Management, 248-858-2545.

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland to Hold Free Educational Seminar on Bariatric Surgery

 

Pontiac, Mich.—St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (SJMO), in partnership with the Michigan Bariatric Institute (MBI), will host a free educational seminar focusing on bariatric surgery options at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, at the SJMO Franco Communications Center Auditorium, 44405 Woodward Ave., Pontiac.

 Entitled, “A Minimal Surgical Approach to Treating Obesity,” the seminar will feature an overview of the bariatric surgery program and the types of procedures it offers, as well as a question and answer session.

 Speakers include Tallal Zeni, MD; Jacob Roberts, DO and Paula Magid, MBI program director and former bariatric patient. 

 Surgeons at MBI are experienced in advanced laparoscopic surgical techniques, including laparoscopic gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and adjustable gastric banding.  Laparoscopic bariatric surgery results in minimal pain, less scarring, shorter hospital stay and recovery time.  Weight loss of about 70 percent of excess body weight can be anticipated within the first year and maintained.

 Dr. Roberts recently joined the SJMO medical staff as a general and minimally invasive bariatric surgeon.  He will perform surgeries at SJMO and at St. Mary Mercy Livonia, both Saint Joseph Mercy Health System member hospitals. 

 Dr. Roberts received his medical degree at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and was chief resident at St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Oakland Center in Madison Heights, Mich.  He completed his fellowship training at the Chicago Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Ill.  Dr. Roberts also is board certified in General Surgery.

 Dr. Zeni, director of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia and MBI medical director, received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he completed his residency in General Surgery.  He completed his fellowship in Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, Ill.  He is board certified in General Surgery.

 Since the program’s inception in 2005 at St. Mary Mercy Hospital, MBI has performed more than 500 bariatric surgeries to date. 

 The MBI program provides a comprehensive approach to the bariatric surgery experience, including

• Medical director
• Program director
• Team of specially trained registered nurses, registered dieticians, behavioral specialists and exercise physiologists to assist the patient through the process
• Free educational seminars
• Comprehensive pre-surgical classes
• Post-surgical follow-up visits
• Monthly support group

 To register for the educational seminar or for more information, call 877.Why.Weight.