The International Psoriasis Community will host a support group on Sunday, July 14 from 10 a.m.-noon at Suburban
Hospital, 8600 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda. The meeting will take place in conference rooms 6 and 7, both of which are located below the
main entrance to the lobby of the hospital. A dermatologist will be present to discuss current treatments, new products and answer questions. RSVP via email to swiseman@ipsoriasis.org or call 301-984-
2522. Visit www.ipsoriasis.org.
Threshold Services needs volunteers to visit, tutor and job coach. Threshold helps people with serious and persistent mental illness lead fulfilling lives. They provide housing, counseling, psychiatric rehabilitation, outpatient treatment, outreach and supported employment services. Hours are flexible and training is provided. Call the Montgomery County Volunteer Center at 240-777-2600.
The Montgomery County Commission for Women offers a wide range of programs and counseling services designed to meet the needs and interests of women.
They need volunteers to work as Information and Referral Specialists. Responsibilities include scheduling appointments and making referrals to other programs and services. Training is provided. Call 240-777-2600.
Potomac Seniors gather at Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, during the week for a variety of activities between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The program includes entertainment, health screenings and education, chair exercises, crafts, speakers, counseling, theme parties, monthly mini-trips and intergenerational activities.
* Mondays:
<cal2>10:15-11:15 a.m., Tai Chi Chaun with C. L. Young. Enhance muscle tone, improve balance and flexibility, free.
* Tuesdays:
<cal2>10-10:30 a.m., coffee and camaraderie;
10:30-11 a.m., chair exercises, follow along with a video;
10:30-11 a.m., blood pressure screening, the second Tuesday of every month, sponsored by Suburban Hospital;
11 a.m.-noon, activities, check the calendar;
11-11:30 a.m., Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program, the third Tuesday of the month;
Noon-12:30 p.m., lunch, bring your own and socialize with other seniors;
12:30-2 p.m., various programs, check the calendar.
* Wednesdays:
<cal2>10-11:15 a.m., Tai Chi Chaun with C. L. Young, free.
* Fridays:
<cal2>10:15-11:15 a.m., Tai Chi Chaun with C. L. Young, free.
Seniors may also use the community center’s weight and exercise room for free between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesdays by registering for a senior pass. Door-to-door transportation is available on Tuesdays through Paratransit.
For more information about senior programs, or to obtain a copy of the newsletter of calendar events, visit http://www.co.mo.md.us/rec/Seniors/ptmsr.html, or call 301-983-4471.
* Tuesday, July 16. Come to the Ice Cream Social from 12-1:30 p.m. and make sundaes with favorite toppings.
* Tuesday, July 23. Current Events provides a forum for discussion on various news topics and how the news impacts our lives from 11 a.m.-noon. Free.
* Tuesday, July 23. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire offers the excitement of TV's hottest game show. Come play from 12:30-2 p.m. Free.
* Tuesday, July 30. Bring in old candles and create new ones in Candle Making from 11 a.m.-noon and from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free.
* Free Fitness Clinics for Seniors (50 years and up) are being offered at Montgomery County Recreation Department centers throughout the county. The two-hour clinic consists of exercise information about cardiac health and osteoporosis and provides a hands on opportunity to learn how to use equipment in weight rooms. Call 240-777-6870 to have a flyer with a registration form mailed or faxed to you.
AARP Widowed Persons Service offers support groups for those widowed less than two years. Meetings are held Monday-Friday. All widowed persons are invited to attend education meetings, travel and other AARP-sponsored activities available. Call 301-949-7398.
Alzheimer’s Association caregiver support groups are facilitated by trained group leaders. The meetings are ongoing, free and open to the community. Families meet with other caregivers to share experiences and caregiving tips while developing coping skills. Call 1-866-259-0042 for meeting schedules and locations.
Free grief counseling and discussion groups are available for anyone mourning the loss of a loved one. Groups meet on Monday evenings or Tuesday afternoons from July 2-Aug. 27 at various locations in the county. Call to register at 301-279-2566.
The county offers the following tips on mosquito control and the prevention of West Nile virus:
* Get Rid of Standing Water. Getting rid of places where mosquitoes breed is the first and most important step to prevention. Eliminate standing water found in used tires, roof gutters, flat roofs, wading pools, wheelbarrows, canoes and garbage can lids, dripping water faucets, puddles from window air-conditioners, birdbaths and the bottom of potted plant trays.
* Protect Against Bites. Avoid outdoor activities in early morning and dusk, wear long sleeves and long pants outdoors, fix or replace screens with holes and use insect repellents (for adults, 20-30 percent DEET).
For more information about the West Nile virus, visit Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection Web site at www.askdep.com and click on the mosquito icon.
"Disability Connections" is a new Web site added to the Disability Resources menu on the Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) homepage at www.montgomerylibrary.org. The site offers finger-spelling or sign language receptive skills practice; theatres in the area that offer audio description; public school programs offering support sevices for deaf children and a list of organizations for people with learning disablities. The disability resource menu also links to the Special Needs Library. Call 240-777-0960 or 301-897-2217 or email Ask-A-Librarian on the MCPL homepage.