PEPPERELL — Town residents can head down to the Pepperell Senior Center, 37 Nashua Road, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, from 10 a.m. to noon and receive a “checkup” from the Nashoba associated Boards of Health.
“Basically, people still see their doctors, so they use these clinics as more of a screening,” said Carol Horgan of Nashoba Boards of Health. “We answer questions, we have a nutritionist on our staff that we can use as a reference, and we can get requested information to you in person, by mail, by phone, or however, depending on the need.”
It will be two years in July that Pepperell has become one of 15 towns affiliated with the Nashoba Boards of Health, which means that they serve as Pepperell’s health agent and sanitation inspector. each month, the board sets up clinics in each town to answer generalized health questions and to administer certain tests to adults in town.
Typically, patients have their blood pressure taken or their pulses screened. sometimes, usually during March, they may also have their blood sugar screened, and in the fall, the Well Adult Clinics offer flu-immunization shots along with pneumonia and tetanus shots. at this time, fewer blood pressure tests are administered because there are usually more in attendance.
Having a high blood pressure is dangerous because it makes your heart work extremely hard. According to Webmd.com, “Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood inside an artery,” and it is a common issue. Statistics show that about 65 million American adults — nearly 1 in 3 — have high blood pressure. however, the causes vary, which is why it is important to keep track of these things.
Horgan explained: “You kind of get to know usually the same people that come month after month, so you can do a medication review or a diet review depending on who the person is. also, if say their blood pressure was elevated, we could look at their diet. Are they eating more canned foods? Are they eating more salty foods? if they’re diabetic, you know, what is their diet?”
A few ways the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute suggests to prevent high blood pressure include following a healthy eating pattern, reducing salt and sodium in your diet and maintaining a healthy weight. All of these are things that Nashoba employees will be able to work on with people at the clinics.
The blood-sugar tests are also especially important for diabetic patients. The disease is a deceptive one and the symptoms are less than obvious. Frighteningly, out-of-control blood sugars can lead to numerous short-term and long-term problems. Some include hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia and damaged kidneys, nerves and organ vessels like the heart.
“It could be that it is just borderline and their doctor knows that, but are they up? Are they down? And again, what is their diet,” said Horgan. “We’re not trying to take away from their doctor, but to certainly encourage the people to look at things; it’s just more preventative.”
Another thing that the Nashoba associated Boards of Health perform is home visits. Not many people are aware of this fact, but if you find yourself in a difficult situation and are unable to leave your home for whatever reason, health professionals are ready and willing to come to you administer a similar type of clinical check-up.
“There are people that just can’t get out to the senior center, and we can make home visits because we are the home nurse,” said Horgan.
The Nashoba associated Boards of Health also goes to Babatassit Village on the fourth Thursday of each month. Babatassit is an assisted-living complex behind McNabb’s Pharmacy and Community Auto in Pepperell.
For more information, visit nashoba.org or call 978-772-3335, ext. 333.