Visitors to the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville this month can get information to help their families’ health and well-being through free screenings and educational activities at the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services exhibit.
The interactive display, which will be located in the Health Horizons section of the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center’s South Wing B, features a chance to speak one on one with health educators and learn more about family services.
Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Audrey Tayse Haynes said staff working at the fair will encourage guests to make good lifestyle choices.
“It’s a welcoming atmosphere, so visitors will have the chance to ask questions about how our services can improve their health or self-sufficiency,” she said.
Tobacco users who want to learn more about quitting can visit the fair on Friday, Aug. 24, when staff from the Tobacco Prevention and Cessation program can provide information and referrals.
From 2:30-5 p.m. that day, program staff will invite those who have successfully quit tobacco to share their stories in video-recorded interviews to be used in a future awareness campaign.
“We’re collecting stories from across the state to share with the nearly 25 percent of Kentucky adults who are current smokers,” said Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program Manager Angela Criswell, who is coordinating the interview project. “Quitting tobacco is one of the toughest things to do. It helps when people who have been there share with you their struggles and victories, so you know you aren’t alone and that you can do it, too.”
Smoking is the No. 1 cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Secondhand smoke is one of the primary triggers for asthma.
Other topics covered at the fair include diabetes management, nutrition, children’s health insurance, finding quality child care, child support, immunizations and lead poisoning prevention.
“These are the programs that can help when families are facing barriers to better health and success,” Haynes said. “Our expert staff will be able to answer families’ questions to encourage them to take steps toward a positive lifestyle change.”
Staff will offer free daily blood pressure screenings, and body fat analysis will be available on several days.
Bone density screenings for women will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19, and Sunday, Aug. 26.
Health screenings are not a replacement for regular doctor visits, but, paired with counseling, they may indicate a concern to discuss in greater detail with a health care professional.
Elder Kentuckians will be in the spotlight on Senior Day, Tuesday, Aug. 21, when staff from the Department for Aging and Independent Living, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s Office and the Department for Community Based Services’ Adult Safety Branch will answer questions. Also on Senior Day, staff from Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital will offer blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol testing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In the South Wing, the cabinet’s Nutrition Services Branch staff will assist visitors with the Rock and Relax room, sponsored by Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness and Baptist East Hospital. Parents can stop by to privately and comfortably nurse, feed or change their infants and learn about breastfeeding and baby safety.
Listed below is a calendar of daily and featured programs. Exhibit buildings at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center are open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Advance discount tickets, purchased at Kroger, are $8 for adults and $4 for seniors 55 and older and children ages 3 to 12. Beginning Aug. 16, tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children and seniors. Children 2 and younger get in free. Parking is $8 per vehicle.
For more information, visit kystatefair.org.
From Cabinet for Health and Family Services
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