UPMC Altoona’s Healthy Living Club has scheduled the following educational programs and screenings for September as a community service.

Unless otherwise specified call 814-889-2630 or 1-888-313-4665 to make an appointment or to register. Online registration is available for some programs at UPMC.asapconnected.com.

Programs are open to all adult age groups.

If you need an interpreter or have other special needs, please call Healthy Living at 814-889-2630 or 1-888-313-4665. Please allow at least two weeks before class starts for your request to be processed.

Healthy Steps in Motion
Classes meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:15 a.m. OR 10 a.m.
Abundant Life Assembly of God Church, 231 Howard Ave.

A fun, peer-led, weight resistance and strength training program. If you are 55 or older, looking to improve your strength, flexibility and balance and start toning up, then Healthy Steps in Motion is for you! No fee. Registration required.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Joint Replacement Surgery, and Some Things You Probably Didn’t
Light dinner at 6 p.m.; program 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 8
Rotunda, sixth floor, Outpatient Center at the hospital

No fee; registration required; call 814-889-2630 or 1-888-313-4665 or log on to UPMC.asapconnected.com. Class size limited.

Join Adrian Clayton, D.O., UPMC Altoona Elite Orthopaedics, as he discusses common causes of joint pain, other joint symptoms, diagnosis, and non-surgical and surgical treatment options. Dr. Clayton specializes in minimally invasive joint replacement and adult joint reconstruction.

Free Osteoporosis Screenings: Heel Scans for Men and Women
12:30 to 3 p.m., Friday, Sept. 9
UPMC Altoona at Station Medical Center, Imaging Services Department, 17th St. and 9th Ave.

By appointment only. No fee. Call 814-889-2630 or 1-888-313-4665 to schedule appointment.
Osteoporosis often is called the “silent disease” because bone loss happens without symptoms. It occurs when, over time, bone loss causes bones to become porous, brittle and more likely to break. This painless screening takes just a few minutes and assesses bone density in the heel (a good indicator of bone health and fracture risk) by using ultrasound. Please be prepared to remove shoes and socks.

Child Safety Seat Checkup Station
9:30 to 11 a.m., Friday, Sept. 9
UPMC Altoona parking garage, Blue Level, 620 Howard Ave. Look for the Safe Kids van.

Registration required. No fee. Call Safe Kids Blair County at 814-889-7802 to register.
Find out if your child’s safety seat is installed properly. Your child’s life may depend on it.

Seniors for Safe Driving Refresher for Those Who Have Previously Taken the Course
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 10
UPMC Altoona, Rotunda, 6th floor, Outpatient Center, 620 Howard Ave.

A four-hour refresher course for anyone who has taken it before. Fee $16. Registration required. Call 1-800-559-4880 or log on to www.sfsd-pa.com.
This classroom course covers age-related physical changes, perceptual skills, rules of the road and more. All automobile insurance companies in Pennsylvania provide a premium discount to graduates age 55 and older. Most require both spouses insured under the same policy to take the class to receive a discount.

Peripheral Artery Disease Screening
8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 13
Vascular Institute, third floor, Outpatient Center at the hospital.

No fee. By appointment only. Call 814-889-2091 to schedule.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) occurs when plaque clogs leg arteries or vessels and restricts blood flow. Untreated PAD cannot only make walking difficult, but also may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. John Madey, BSRVT, technical director of UPMC Altoona’s Noninvasive Laboratory, will check for PAD with an ABI (ankle-brachial index) screen, a painless process in which blood pressure is measured in legs and arms to determine blood flow. Please be prepared to remove shoes and socks.

Real Solutions for Success: Practical Guidance for People Seeking to Lose Pounds and Maintain a Healthy Weight
10-week series, 4 to 4:45 p.m., Thursdays, Sept. 15 to Nov. 17
Cafeteria Dining Room B, fourth floor at the hospital.

Fee $60, includes workbook and other course materials. Those who attend eight out of 10 sessions and keep food and activity records at least three days per week will earn $30 back!
Registration required; call 814-889-2630 or 1-888-313-4665. Class size limited.
Join UPMC Altoona clinical dietitian Monica Richers-Kelly, R.D., L.D.N., as she provides practical guidance for people seeking to lose pounds and maintain a healthy weight. Other goals of this program include helping participants stay healthy and manage or help decrease risk for developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Topics include principles of behavior modification, basic facts about weight loss, self-monitoring, mindful eating, realistic goal setting, guidelines for safe and effective physical activity, and creating a supportive environment.

Exercise and a Healthy Lifestyle: The Energy Behind the Smile
Lunch at 11 a.m.; program 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday, Sept. 16
Altoona Alliance Church, 3220 Pleasant Valley Blvd. (former Value City building next to Planet Fitness)

No fee. Registration required; call 814-889-2630 or 1-888-313-4665 or log on to UPMC.asapconnected.com.
Engaging in physical exercise may be one of the best things you can do for your health. Physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease; improve your balance, strength and flexibility; and boost your sleep, self-esteem and psychological well-being. Then why don’t we just do it? Getting started is the hardest part. Step one is to join Nancy Pyle, NP-C, M.S.N., administrative director of HealthForce and Employee Health at UPMC Altoona and UPMC Bedford, as she discusses the effects of exercise on your overall well-being and the importance of having fun. Nancy will talk about embracing various strategies and tactics for being well, both mentally and physically, causing one to exude a genuinely radiant smile. Within the presentation, she will share personal experiences, including climbing Mt. Everest, playing the violin, running a marathon, nearly drowning, helping families with organ procurement, and other examples of conquering issues in life. It’s not what you experience; it’s how you respond to it that gives you the smile.

Suicide Prevention Seminar: Becoming an Active Listener
6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 19
Station Medical Center Conference Room (enter the K-4 entrance, left of Fresenius Dialysis Center)     

Donation of $10 is requested but not required. This donation will go toward the support of Day One of Altoona, a nonprofit, faith-based counseling service.
Everyone feels blue or depressed once in a while. But what do you do if you think someone you know is feeling hopeless and helpless and could be considering suicide? Join the Rev. David Hammerle of UPMC Altoona Pastoral Care as he discusses the questions you should ask and the signs to look for in someone who you feel may be contemplating suicide. Rev. Hammerle will provide instruction in becoming an active listener to help you “hear what they are not saying” and the steps to take to provide hope and help. 0.2 CEUs offered.

Don’t Put It on the Table Until You Read the Label: Giant Eagle Store Tours
2 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 28
Giant Eagle Grocery Store, Logan Towne Centre, Altoona.

No fee. Registration required. Call 814-889-2630 or 1-888-313-4665. Tour size limited and open to those who have not taken the tour in the past. Please meet in the produce section (right inside the door). Join Randy Grabill, UPMC Altoona clinical dietitian, as he guides you through the Giant Eagle grocery store, showing you how to shop smart for a nutritious diet. Learn what foods to look for, what foods to avoid and how to decipher those nutrition labels. Randy will help you become a savvy consumer who chooses healthy and nutritious food for you and your family.