WATERVILLE — Making a woman’s own health her primary focus and connecting women with a wide range of health resources from the Waterville area was the aim of Inland Hospital’s World of Women’s Wellness exposition Saturday.
“Women tend not to really focus on their own health so much as their family’s health. When they come to an expo like this, they’re really able to see all the different aspects of health they may not have seen. (It’s) fully wholesome, whether it’s mental health or physical health. And they can see maybe where they need some help, some support,” said Elizabeth Keane, of Kennebec Behavioral Services.
The exposition ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Thomas College Gymnasium and had drawn about 400 people by noon. The event featured around 50 exhibitors representing almost every facet of the women’s health field, including primary care doctors, obstetrician/gynecologists, nutritionists, behavioral and mental health specialists, as well as more holistic wellness services such as representativeness from area recreation groups and relaxation services.
The event also offered free health screenings for cholesterol, blood glucose, bone density, abdominal aortic aneurysm, blood pressure, grip strength, diabetes risk assessment, breast cancer risk assessment and vision.
The exposition is in its 19th year. Event organizer Ellen Wells said the ultimate goal is to connect women with health and wellness resources from the Waterville area that address the area’s major health concerns for women while also being easily accessible financially.
“We’re really trying to link the resources and the exhibitors who are here to the community health needs,” Wells said. “There are certainly a number of barriers to accessing health services, and we try to break those down as well as fill the gaps.”
Inland Hospital physician Loraine Paradis and Wells both said that some of the largest health problems among women in central Maine are diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stress and depression. On top of that, Wells said, several risk factors act as barriers for women seeking resources to either treat or prevent those conditions, including finances and transportation.
The free screenings offered by Inland hospital physicians allowed women to get an updated status of their health without having to set aside time in their week to go to a doctor. Additionally, all of the exposition’s resources and exhibitors are in the Waterville area, and many are inexpensive, Wells said.
“We really try to focus on free or low-cost services. Like the Alfond Youth Center is here today. They have one-hour exercise classes for only two dollars a class,” Wells said.
In addition to accessibility, diversity of wellness services was another focus of the exposition. Wells said there is a holistic approach to wellness that the event tried to convey with a diversity of exhibitors being in attendance.
Nutrition was linked heavily with health during presentations on how to eat right for different dietary needs. Chef Rory Schepisi, a finalist on “The Next Food Network Star,” gave cooking demonstrations at 10:30 a.m. and noon, which focused on making dishes beneficial for people with diabetes but also would be a healthy choice for anyone looking to eat right.
Mary Lavanway, a dietitian who works for Hannaford supermarkets in Waterville, said the event, specifically the cooking demonstrations, are a great way change people’s dietary behavior because it is presented in a fun, personal and accessible way.
“It’s a really great opportunity for people to get a lot of resources and healthy recipes and put them in an empowered position to take care of their own health,” Lavanway said.
Behavioral and mental health resources and exhibitors were also available, as stress and depression are health problems among women in the area, according to Wells and Paradis.
“Wellness and health is not just about ‘Do you have diabetes?” Paradis said. “It’s also. ‘What’re you doing for exercise? Are you eating right?’ Stress is also a big factor in women’s health.”
Women in attendance also had access to spa services, as relaxation plays a large part in mental health and stress reduction. Wells said the importance of relaxation also was reflected in the presence of exhibitors such as Common Street Arts, which offers painting sessions in Waterville.
“You might think, ‘What’s that got to do with health?’ Well, it’s a relaxing mental health exercise, and that’s an overall component of your wellness,” Wells said.
The overall feedback from expo-goers: “It’s our girls day,” as one Clinton woman in attendance with her friends stated.
Sisters Stephany Sherman, of Winslow, and Jill Fowler, of Fairfield, had arrived at the event when it started at 9 a.m. and intended to stay almost until its end.
“It’s a day away. This is our sister day,” Sherman said.
The sisters have been to the exposition in past years and were a fan of the free massages this year, but also the practical access to health screenings.
“It’s a wide variety and the screenings are wonderful,” said Sherman, who said she had her blood glucose level and cholesterol level checked that morning.
Fowler added that the screenings play role in allowing women to be proactive about their health.
“(For screenings) you would generally have to actually go to the doctors. So here, this is wellness, and if they do find an issue, then you can go to your doctors,” Fowler said.
Lauren Abbate — 861-9252
Twitter: @Lauren_M_Abbate
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