Stay informed about the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and visit the page we have created dedicated to COVID-19 resources for the community
Additional Resources and Updates can be found at:
Meritus has created an email COVID-19@MeritusHealth.com and phone number 301-790-9170 for questions about COVID-19 and has implemented some visitor restrictions.
Suicide consistently ranks among the top ten causes of death in the United States, impacting people of all backgrounds. We believe that suicide can affect anyone, but that EVERYONE can be a part of the effort to prevent it. By taking the time to complete a short survey, you can help us assess our community’s knowledge about suicide and suicide prevention, identify barriers to those seeking help, reduce stigma, and empower community members with resources, information, and strategies to assist those who are struggling with thoughts of suicide. This is part of the Healthy Washington County initiative.
Please complete the short survey and share the link with other in the community and encourage them to complete the survey too!
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
The Washington County Health Department is collaborating with the Hagerstown YMCA, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and Meritus Health to host the 2020 Healthy Washington County Healthy Business Challenge. Healthy Washington County is the county’s local health improvement coalition and is open to any organization or individual interested in improving the health of the community. Our goal is to challenge all Washington County employers to implement initiatives to improve the health and well-being of their employees. Since employees spend much of their time at work, the workplace is an ideal setting to implement initiatives to improve the health of community members.
Businesses sign up for the challenge then track their activities from January 1 – June 30, 2020. Activities are divided into three categories: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Overall Wellness. All businesses achieving a minimum of 10 points per category will receive a Healthy Business designation. After the challenge, awards will be presented to those businesses achieving the highest number of points in each size category and that go above and beyond in creating a healthier business environment.
A kickoff meeting will be held at the Washington County Health Department on Friday, November 22ndat 8:00 am for businesses who have signed up or are interested in learning more about the challenge. Anyone interested in attending should RSVP to hannah.person@maryland.gov.
If you have any questions, please contact Hannah Person at hannah.person@maryland.gov or 240-313-3357.
The Washington County Health Department is collaborating with the Hagerstown YMCA, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and Meritus Health to host the 2020 Healthy Washington County Healthy Business Challenge. Healthy Washington County is the county’s local health improvement coalition and is open to any organization or individual interested in improving the health of the community. Our goal is to challenge all Washington County employers to implement initiatives to improve the health and well-being of their employees. Since employees spend much of their time at work, the workplace is an ideal setting to implement initiatives to improve the health of community members.
Businesses sign up for the challenge then track their activities from January 1 – June 30, 2020. Activities are divided into three categories: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Overall Wellness. All businesses achieving a minimum of 10 points per category will receive a Healthy Business designation. After the challenge, awards will be presented to those businesses achieving the highest number of points in each size category and that go above and beyond in creating a healthier business environment.
According to CDC, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected death of a baby less than 1 year old in which the cause was not obvious before investigation. These deaths often happen during sleep or in the baby’s sleep area. Sudden unexpected infant deaths include Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation in a sleeping environment, and other deaths from unknown causes.
A parent’s worst nightmare is for something bad to happen to their baby. The good news is that there are things parents and caregivers can do to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths. Following the ABCs of Safe Sleep is a good way for caregivers to remember how to create a safe sleep environment for their babies:
For additional ways on how to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths visit www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/sids/conditioninfo/reduce
Since 2010, there have been 25 infants who died while sleeping in Washington County. 19 of those infants were not in safe sleep environments. Half of those babies were co-sleeping on the same surface as adults. In at least 75% of the cases in Washington County, one or both parents abused substances including opioids, alcohol, or marijuana. Using tobacco, alcohol, or drugs while pregnant or when taking care of a child can increase the risk of SUID. If you need help to stop smoking or to find treatment for substance abuse, contact the Washington County Health Department Division of Behavioral Health at 240-313-3310.
No one wants babies to die of SUID or SIDS. Many of these deaths can be prevented! How can you help? Parents and caregivers can follow the Safe Sleep guidelines to ensure their babies stay safe and tell babysitters and other caregivers how to put their babies to sleep safely. Pregnant women and new parents can join the health department’s Healthy Families program to learn positive parenting strategies; sign up by calling 240-313-3270. Everyone can share information about Safe Sleep with others and participate in the #SafeSleepSnap photo activity by sharing photos of babies in safe sleep environments on social media and tagging them with #SafeSleepSnap. Follow the Washington County Health Department on Facebook at https://facebook.com/WashHealth for tips on how to prevent SUID throughout the month of October.
To learn more about Safe Sleep, visit https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov.
This article was originally posted at https://washcohealth.org/october-is-sids-awareness-month/.
Rebecca Moody, 52, has struggled to manage her diabetes over the years, not always knowing what to eat to control her blood sugar.
Then she took a diabetes management class at her local hospital and quit junk food and soda. Moody lost 12 pounds and is looking for more ways to improve her health.
Her city, Hagerstown, is the site of One for Good, a pilot project aimed at bringing together businesses and local health and community groups—including AARP Maryland—to boost the health and wellness of residents.
Moody is looking forward to taking a dietitian-led tour of her local Martin’s grocery store. She hopes to stop at the local farmers market for a healthy-cooking demonstration. And Walgreens has monthly senior days, with experts on hand to discuss medication management.
All these efforts have become part of the One for Good initiative. And because they are in her community, Moody pointed out, she’s more likely to attend. “I’m going to these places anyway,” she said.
In 2014, Hagerstown was named one of the most obese cities in the nation by Gallup and Healthways, with high rates of unhealthy indicators such as diabetes and hypertension. Local organizations then started to focus on health, said Allen Twigg, executive director of behavioral and community health at Meritus Health in Hagerstown and the cochair of Healthy Washington County, a coalition of groups.
One step at a time
So when One for Good was looking for a city to try out wellness programs, Hagerstown fit the bill. Sponsored by an international coalition of companies called the Consumer Goods Forum, One for Good connects retailers with community groups to encourage people to take one small step at a time to improve their health.
The city benefited from an infrastructure in place through Healthy Washington County. “There’s more power in collective partnerships when you’re trying to make a change,” Twigg said.
One for Good has added resources to that effort, said Maggie Biscarr, director of global partnership solutions for PepsiCo., a member of the forum. Walmart, another member, was holding quarterly wellness days featuring consultations with pharmacists, diabetes screenings and blood pressure checks.
Under the One for Good program, these are now held monthly and also include an emphasis on healthy eating, with samples of nutritious foods.
The initiative is focused on four goals: quitting smoking, healthier eating, increased exercise and managing medication.
For AARP, teaming up with One for Good makes sense, said Aiyshen Padilla, its vice president for strategic relationships and alliances, because older residents are the target audience.
“This is about healthy attitudes and behaviors, but mostly providing tools and resources to help people make incremental changes themselves,” she said.
One for Good intends to collect evidence on the impact of the efforts. Healthy Washington County conducts a community- health-needs assessment every three years, which will provide some data, Twigg said.
For more information on events in the Hagerstown area, visit healthywashingtoncounty.com.
Michelle R. Davis is a writer living in Silver Spring.
Originally posted here at aarp.org.
