Health and wellness are two things that everyone knows they must make a priority, but are often put on the back burner. This becomes even more true as people get older.

In an effort to bring attention to health and wellness, a health fair aimed toward senior citizens is once again coming to Cass County.

The Cass County Council on Aging is hosting its annual health fair from 8 to 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 8. The event will be sponsored by Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital, who, along with other local health providers will offer many free health screenings to senior citizens.

These screenings include blood pressure checks, cholesterol testing, total lipid testing, colo-rectal screenings, glucose testing, hearing screenings, oral care screenings, PSA testing, skin cancer screening, teeth and denture checks, vision screenings and glaucoma testing. Shoulder and neck massages will also be available in addition to information booths. A free brunch, stocked with health conscious foods, will be available for all fair attendees.

“Senior citizens especially need to have their health monitored more closely than younger people,” said fair organizer Sandi Hoger.

Going into the fair’s 17th year, Hoger said that the formula for the fair is still roughly the same as it was when the program began nearly two decades ago.

“It’s always remained very similar in services. We have great participation from the hospital in Dowagiac and local doctors and nurses to provide these free services,” Hoger said. “It’s what keeps this project going.”

Because local health professionals provide their services free of charge, the only significant cost to the COA is the brunch they provide for attendees, Hoger said. The low costs allow the COA to continue to host the health fair year after year, for which the COA is grateful.

Diana Hile, a hearing instrument specialist for Darr and Associates, Inc., will be providing free hearing screenings at the health fair. For her, providing her services at the event is a way to give back to the community and contribute to community health.

“It’s just in my nature to help,” Hile said.

Health problems that go undetected, hearing issues in particular, can isolate someone or create issues in their personal lives, Hile said. For this reason, getting regular health screening and checks can not only improve physical, but also mental and emotional issues if an issue is spotted early and resolved, she said.

Senior citizens in particular need to get regular health checks, and the health fair gives them a convenient way to do that, Hile said.

“Sometime senior citizens ignore the obvious when it comes to health and ignore problems rather than dealing with them,” Hile said. “[The fair] is a neutral environment. There’s no doctor shaking his or her finger at you. It’s just someone saying this is what the results are and this is what you might want to do.”

Hile said she has seen many people come in year after year to get the same screenings done.

“[The fair] is getting people to take  more control over their health,” Hile said.

Hoger said the services provided at the fair are especially helpful to senior citizens as they are provided free of charge, because even if a person has Medicaid or other insurance, a copay may make getting these types of health screenings expensive or a hassle.

“[The fair] gives people the opportunity have have [screenings] done without having to pay for them,” Hoger said. “All around, it’s a great event that really helps out the community.”

Some free screenings will require an appointment. These include skin cancer screenings, glucose testing, PSA testing and cholesterol testing. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (269) 445-8110.