Love isn’t the only message during the month of February.
To help spread the message of keeping your heart healthy, representatives with Avalon Hospice in Johnson City visited the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library Monday morning to provide information to the public for American Heart Month, sponsored by the American Heart Association.
Tara Carroll, RN, BSN, is a hospice care consultant with Avalon and was joined by Pam Vines to help spread awareness for food, exercise, stress and making sure residents are in the know about keeping their heart healthy.
Having a month dedicated to the initiative only helps raise attention for the leading cause of death for men and women in the country, Carroll said. According to the CDC, each year one in four deaths are caused by heart disease.
“I’m excited they’re committing a whole month to heart health,” Carroll said. “A lot of people don’t really think about it. It’s one of the largest causes of death in the United States. Especially here in the county, everyone loves their comfort food. Being able to go out and provide awareness and have the support of being able to talk to the community about keeping them healthy is great.”
The public was greeted to different ideas and programs on maintaining a healthy diet and snacks during morning hours Monday.
Presentations like Monday is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to what hospice does, Carroll said.
“Hospice isn’t the end of the road,” Carroll said. “It isn’t a death sentence; it’s all about the quality of life. It’s about being healthy. I don’t want people to be afraid of the word ‘hospice.’ It’s different than what people thought back a long time ago. It’s really about educating the community about items like Avalon and hospice in general.”
The public is also encouraged to take part in multiple volunteer projects offered by the hospice to help give back to the community.
“We have opportunities for the public to deliver flowers to our patients, we have veteran programs, people that make lap blankets, toboggans … the opportunities are endless for people looking to get involved,” Carroll said.
Anyone looking for more information on how to keep their heart healthy is encouraged to visit the multiple resources online or contact Avalon Hospice at (423) 282-0062.