Health & Wellness

MetroHealth CH offers outpatient midwifery services

MetroHealth has launched a new midwifery program to serve patients seeking care during pregnancy as well as ongoing gynecologic care through every stage of life.

In July, Amy Lowell (CNM, MSN), director of the midwifery program, began seeing patients at the MetroHealth Cleveland Heights Medical Center, at 10 Severance Circle, for outpatient pre-natal checkups and women’s wellness exams. The Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) team will expand over the coming months and plans to comprise five providers by early next year.

In addition to outpatient care, CNMs also will provide inpatient care and attend births at MetroHealth’s new state-of-the-art birthing center at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.

Read Full Story
Volume 17, Issue 8, Posted 5:08 PM, 07.30.2024

MetroHealth CH provides acute stroke care

The MetroHealth Cleveland Heights Medical Center Emergency Department is certified as a Stroke Ready facility by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care Inc.

The Emergency Department staff at Cleveland Heights is recognized for the level of initial care it provides stroke victims. The advanced teams can rapidly recognize the signs of stroke, diagnose a stroke and begin treatment, providing the highest level of acute stroke care to patients close to where they live and work.

Heart disease and stroke kill more people in the United States than all types of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined, according to the American Heart Association.

Read Full Story
Volume 17, Issue 5, Posted 9:39 AM, 04.29.2024

B'nai B'rith Health Run welcomes participants and volunteers

The 35th B’nai B’rith Health Run is planned for Sunday, July 23, and will showcase Walter Stinson Community Park, at 2307 Fenwick Road in University Heights.

Registration and the award ceremony will be held at the park's gazebo. 

Both the 1-miler and 5K will start at the park's entrance on Saybrook Road and end at the park's Fenwick Road entrance.

The 1-miler will have overall winners and youth division winners. The 5K will have overall winners plus winners in 13 age groups.

Read Full Story
Volume 16, Issue 7, Posted 4:15 PM, 06.29.2023

Men turn out for MetroHealth's annual health fair

The MetroHealth Minority Men's Health Fair enjoyed a large turnout at the Cleveland Heights Medical Center on April 27. The event offered education and free screenings for more than 30 health issues prevalent in minority men, including prostate cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, skin cancer, and mental health concerns.

Though the health fair was geared toward men of color, all were welcome to the event, which also was held at the health system’s Main Campus and Ohio City Health Center.

James Elder, 66, of Cleveland Heights, was attending his first Minority Men’s Health Fair.

“I knew about it for a while, and this year was the first time I decided that I’d better show up,” said Elder, who was there to get as many health screenings as he could.

Read Full Story
Volume 16, Issue 6, Posted 8:46 AM, 06.01.2023

Quiet Clean Heights urges noise awareness

Quiet Clean Heights is an initiative that seeks to raise awareness of the health and environmental impacts of noise and air pollution in our residential neighborhoods. Two national campaigns share some “resonance” with our mission this month: Autism Acceptance Month, and International Noise Awareness Day (https://noiseawareness.org/) on April 26.

As lawncare season begins, Quiet Clean Heights intends to advocate for quieter, healthier neighborhoods by promoting low-impact lawncare alternatives.

Read Full Story
Volume 16, Issue 4, Posted 10:45 AM, 04.02.2023

MetroHealth CH expands breast cancer care and screening

In early December, MetroHealth began offering 3D breast cancer screening services inside its Cleveland Heights Medical Center at 10 Severance Circle.

The permanent onsite service replaces MetroHealth's Mobile 3D Mammography Coach, which had been a weekly fixture at the medical center for the past three years.

Breast cancer screening mammography at MetroHealth in Cleveland Heights is now available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

Patients liked the convenience of the mobile van, which brought mammograms close to where they live, and appointments that often last less than 15 minutes. But they missed the experience of getting their screening inside the building, especially during the colder months.

Read Full Story
Volume 16, Issue 1, Posted 10:50 AM, 12.12.2022

MetroHealth expands services at CH campus

The MetroHealth Cleveland Heights Behavioral Health Hospital, opening Oct. 8, is the latest expansion of comprehensive care provided at MetroHealth's Severance Circle facility.

The new behavioral health hospital will provide inpatient care for people struggling with depression, substance abuse, and more. Outpatient behavioral health services have been offered since July.

Other new additions to the Cleveland Heights campus:

  • The Red Carpet Care Program provides services for chronically ill and/or frail Medicare and Medicaid patients. It works with primary care providers.
  • A patient care navigator works with the geriatric patient population. Before patients go home after seeing their primary care provider, the navigator helps schedule specialty appointments.
Read Full Story
Volume 15, Issue 10, Posted 8:56 AM, 09.27.2022

Services available in advance of new hospital's Oct. 8 opening

Kythryn Carr Harris was in the Cleveland area visiting her daughter in October 2020 when she heard the news that The MetroHealth System planned to build a behavioral health hospital. Carr Harris, at the time, was in a leadership role with the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, Ohio, and was very familiar with the treatment and support services landscape across the state.

MetroHealth’s new venture caused Harris to do a double take.

“I wasn’t aware of any health care system in the state investing that kind of money into behavioral health,” she said.

Read Full Story
Volume 15, Issue 9, Posted 3:33 PM, 09.01.2022

MetroHealth brings free health fair to CH April 28

The MetroHealth System’s Minority Men’s Health Fair is coming to Cleveland Heights. The free event, featuring health screenings and information, will be held on Thursday, April 28, 5–8:30 p.m., at MetroHealth Cleveland Heights Medical Center at 10 Severance Circle.

Although the word “minority” is part of the name, MetroHealth’s event is fully inclusive. Men from all racial and ethnic backgrounds can take advantage of more than 30 free health screenings and health examinations, for prostate cancer, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and dozens of other conditions and illnesses. Women are also invited to attend and access health screenings.

MetroHealth physicians and specialists will be on hand to answer questions during the health fair.

Read Full Story
Volume 15, Issue 4, Posted 9:28 AM, 03.29.2022

CH organ recipient seeks to encourage donors

In 2018, Jacques Smith, a lifelong resident of Cleveland Heights, made it off the organ transplant list after a two-year wait for a liver transplant. Now, he’s helping to bring attention to the importance of organ donation.

Smith, a deacon and current program manager of the Black American Council at Cuyahoga Community College, was diagnosed with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in 2016. A rare autoimmune disease, PBC progressively destroys the liver’s bile ducts, impeding the organ’s ability to function.

After several failed surgeries, it was determined that Smith needed a liver transplant, and he was added to the waitlist. Two years later, with the help of Lifebanc, a nonprofit organ and tissue recovery organization serving Northeast Ohio, Smith received a life-saving liver donation.

Read Full Story
Volume 15, Issue 2, Posted 10:19 AM, 02.01.2022

CWRU offers vaccine clinics to Ohio residents April 9 and 10

Case Western Reserve University will be offering first doses of two of the approved COVID-19 vaccines to any Ohio resident over the age of 16 or 18 (depending on the vaccine) on Friday, April 9 and Saturday, April 10.

Moderna doses are available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, April 9. Recipients must be at least 18 years of age.

Pfizer doses are available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, April 10. Recipients must be at least 16 years of age.

Read Full Story
Volume 14, Issue 5, Posted 1:30 PM, 04.08.2021

Church hosts conversation about stress and addiction

On Saturday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m., First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland (FCB) will host an online community conversation, via Zoom, on stress and addiction in teens and adults.

Recognizing that stress, isolation and uncertainty have become a new normal, due to COVID, FCB’s youth program is providing resources to help connect young people, and their families and caregivers, to mental health and addiction resources.

These resources are free to the community, and all are welcome to participate.

Read Full Story
Volume 14, Issue 2, Posted 11:27 AM, 01.28.2021

Lee Road gym hosts 'I Can't Breathe' tribute-fundraiser

On Saturday, June 13, CrossFit I/O on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights hosted a fundraiser and tribute workout dedicated to George Floyd and his family. More than 75 all-ages athletes participated in the socially distanced event, held in the gym’s parking lot. 

The more than $1,700 raised will be matched by a corporate sponsor and distributed equally to these nonprofits dedicated to racial equity: Audre Lorde Project Inc., Black Lives Matter Foundation Fund, Race Forward, and the National Urban League. 

Angelo Rogers, a first-responder in Norfolk, Va., created the “I Can’t Breathe” workout “as a positive way to channel the pain and emotions so many of us are feeling as we witness the continued injustice so many of us still face today.” 

The workout went viral when an online platform, WODwell, added it to its list of memorial workouts. Michael and Jodi Melistrup, owners of Crossfit I/O, acted quickly to turn Rogers’ idea into a Heights community event.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 7, Posted 3:03 PM, 06.22.2020

Relationship and sexual health center opens in University Heights

Psychotherapists and spouses Ashley Grinonneau-Denton and Brian Denton have opened the Ohio Center for Relationship & Sexual Health in the Waterstone Medical Building in University Heights.

The center's five clinicians, including professional counselors Megan Davis, Matt Lachman and Beth Thomas, offer talk therapy aimed at improving the sexual functioning of the clients it serves.

Previously, Grinonneau-Denton and Denton each operated their own private practices in the Cedar Fairmount Business District, for six and eight years, respectively. For their new venture, they looked throughout the Heights to find the right space for a multi-provider center.

“We knew we wanted to stay in this geographic region,” said Denton, “as it is a good draw from the surrounding communities.”

 

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 3, Posted 9:59 AM, 03.02.2019

Metro Life Flight lands in Cleveland Heights

MetroHealth’s hospital in Cleveland Heights is now accessible by air.

In October, MetroHealth opened a new Metro Life Flight helicopter landing pad at its Cleveland Heights Medical Center, located at 10 Severance Circle.

The new helipad gives MetroHealth the ability to transport patients in critical need of care from its emergency room at Cleveland Heights Medical Center to its renowned Level I Trauma Center at MetroHealth’s Main Campus in Cleveland.

MetroHealth thanks officials from the city of Cleveland Heights, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and the Federal Aviation Administration for helping through the process of constructing and opening the helipad.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 12, Posted 1:53 PM, 11.29.2018

CH's Karen Jaffe receives Parkinson's Visionary Award

On April 16, Cleveland Heights resident Karen Jaffe received the 2018 InMotion Parkinson’s Visionary Award, presented biennially to an individual or family that has shown excellence in the Parkinson’s community by championing the fight against Parkinson’s disease through advocacy, research, volunteerism, or financial support.

The award was presented at “More than Motion, a Visionary Event” on April 16, at Jones Day in Cleveland. The sold-out event attracted more than 250 attendees and raised more than $85,000 (net) to benefit InMotion—a nonprofit Parkinson’s wellness center in Warrensville Heights.

Jaffe retired from a 24-year career as an OB/GYN shortly after being diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s, and dedicated herself wholeheartedly to the Parkinson’s community, where she quickly became a trailblazer.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 6, Posted 11:10 AM, 05.15.2018

High School pool opens to public on March 5

The Cleveland Heights High School indoor pool will reopen for community access on Monday, March 5. The 2018 spring swimming schedule runs through May 25.

The Heights High pool is available to the public through the City of Cleveland Heights Parks and Recreation Department. All residents within the boundaries of the CH-UH School District may purchase swim passes, which are available at the Cleveland Heights Community Center.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 3, Posted 12:44 PM, 03.01.2018

MetroHealth opens new hospital at Severance Circle

On Jan. 3, leaders from Cleveland Heights and MetroHealth cut the ribbon on a new 12-bed hospital at Severance Circle in Cleveland Heights.

The hospital is located on the second floor of the building where MetroHealth has operated an emergency department and medical clinic since 2016—shortly after Healthspan (formerly Kaiser Permanente) dissolved its medical practice and vacated the building.

MetroHealth spent about $12 million to build the hospital, and its total investment in Cleveland Heights now stands at about $25 million, according to Dr. Akram Boutros, president and CEO of The MetroHealth System.

Across the nation, hospitals are opening sophisticated satellite facilities like this one in an effort to increase their patient base.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 2, Posted 3:58 PM, 01.15.2018

Annual Shaker Lakes event is for runners and hikers of all ages

Each fall, the annual Shaker Lakes Hike, Run & Explore event at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes brings together participants of all ages and abilities. Runners, hikers and nature enthusiasts all can take part in the 5K, 10K, guided nature hikes and adventure activities. The Sept. 17 event benefits the Nature Center’s environmental educational programs, and promotes health and wellness while celebrating the Shaker parklands.

The races will start at 9 a.m., and awards are presented to top finishers in age groups ranging from under 10 to 70 and older.

As in prior years, race organizers expect hundreds of participants, and invite friends and families to cheer and encourage them along the tree-lined course, and gather at the finish line with congratulations.

Read Full Story
Volume 10, Issue 9, Posted 12:56 PM, 08.28.2017

GirlForce 2017 offers free fitness classes to girls 12–18

Jazzercise in Cleveland Heights has launched a new initiative for 2017 to support the growth and development of young women by offering free classes to girls ages 12–18, accompanied by a paying adult.

Dubbed GirlForce, the program aims to empower young women by giving them a place to get fit, learn healthy habits, and find a place [where] they belong in their communities.

Read Full Story
Volume 10, Issue 2, Posted 1:36 PM, 01.31.2017

Church of the Saviour hosts talk on lead exposure dangers

Anyone following the news out of Flint, Mich., or Sebring, Ohio, knows that lead poisoning is serious business.

Exposure to lead is especially dangerous for young children and pregnant women, and, here in the Heights, we have many old homes with old pipes. 

On March 16, at 7:30 p.m., Dorr Dearborn, M.D., will discuss the current status of lead issues and lead poisoning in the Heights and in Greater Cleveland. The talk will take place at Church of the Saviour, Calvary Hall, 2537 Lee Road.

Dearborn has done research and treated children with lead poisoning, and is active in getting children screened for lead exposure.

Read Full Story
Volume 9, Issue 3, Posted 11:21 AM, 03.01.2016

Fight children's heart disease at a wine and beer fundraiser

Heart disease is the #1 birth defect in the nation, affecting children at a rate of nearly 1 in 100 births. Each year more than 300 distinguished members of the community and medical field gather at Jordan’s Family Foundation’s Healthy Starts, Happy Hearts Charity Wine and Beer Tasting. The event raises awareness and funding for the research into the causes and treatment of congenital heart diseases.

Read Full Story
Volume 8, Issue 5, Posted 4:19 PM, 04.30.2015

Caregivers workshop begins in April

Caring for a family member or friend with memory impairment can be stressful and challenging. Fairhill Partners, in partnership with Stanford University, is enrolling participants in a workshop and research study to determine the effectiveness of the new Building Better Caregivers workshop. One of the free workshops will take place at the Cleveland Heights Senior Center on Tuesdays, 1–3:30 p.m., April 7 through May 12.

Read Full Story
Volume 8, Issue 4, Posted 12:52 PM, 03.30.2015

Science is local: preventing breast cancer

The early lake-effect snow and frigid temperatures did not temper the enthusiasm of Bert and Marjorie Moyar of Cleveland Heights. The couple opened their home to over 30 guests on Nov. 19 to support one of their favorite local scientists, Vincent Tuohy of Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. Tuohy and his research team, who seek to cure breast cancer through prevention, discussed the development of a vaccine that should be ready for human trials by the end of 2015.

Read Full Story
Volume 8, Issue 1, Posted 12:07 PM, 01.03.2015

Judge Matia's Drug Court offers alternative to prison

“What do you want to share?” “How are you handling your stress?” “Good luck in school!” “Do you need help with anything?” “You okay today? You’re looking a little low key.” “Seriously, do you need help with anything?” Perhaps these are not questions expected from a Common Pleas judge. But Cleveland Heights resident David Matia is not an ordinary judge, and Drug Court is not an ordinary court.

Drug Court, where defendants undergo treatment for addiction rather than go to prison, was first established in Cleveland Municipal Court in 1997. In 2008 it was expanded countywide through Common Pleas Court.

Matia became interested in the drug court concept after 10 years on the bench. Experience had shown him that addiction was a disease and that prison did not address the true driver of much criminal behavior: drug dependency. "There is nothing fulfilling about sending people to jail who have drug-dependency issues,” Matia has said. “We can serve society much better through treatment.”

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 11, Posted 10:28 AM, 10.31.2014

Women's empowerment workshop to be held at Forest Hill Church Nov. 15

A workshop titled Release Your Inner Superwoman will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Blvd. in Cleveland Heights. Facilitated by three area experts, the workshop is designed to help participants optimize health of mind, body and environment, to develop their strengths and achieve their goals. 

The workshop will be led by Cleveland Heights residents Judith Eugene of Loving Hands Yoga and Reiki, and Jeannine Gury of Freshwater Coaching; and Lyndhurst resident Christina Hidek of Streamlined Living. Eugene will discuss achieving strength and balance through simple stress-relief techniques. Gury's presentation will concentrate on internal thought work, unleashing and enabling one's life. Hidek will highlight alignment of one's external environment with the internal self.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 11, Posted 10:08 AM, 10.31.2014

Cleveland Heights resident to lead AAOA

Cleveland Heights resident Steven Houser, M.D., became the new president of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) on Sept. 20.

Otolaryngologists—head and neck surgeons—diagnose and treat disorders of the ear, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck.

Director of Rhinology, Sinus and Allergy for The MetroHealth System, Houser will lead a national group of approximately 1,700 ear, nose and throat doctors, with 2,300 members overall.

Houser will be president of the AAOA for one year, during which he’ll help the academy respond to allergy issues, such as insurance coverage and government validation of allergy treatment. He will also provide leadership to the AAOA in its mission of supporting its membership “through education, research and advocacy in the care of allergic patients.”

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 11, Posted 10:05 AM, 10.31.2014

Heights synagogue hosts free Nov. 1 talk and lunch on challenges of aging

Beth Wachter and Judie Amsel will speak about “The Challenges of Growing Older” at Beth El – The Heights Synagogue, after services on Saturday, Nov. 1. The Lunch and Learn event is open and free to all.

Wachter, who has a bachelor’s degree in gerontology from Miami College and a master’s in social work from Smith College, will address challenges of aging, including the issues of cognitive decline and dementia; safety concerns and the risk of falls; caregiver issues and resources; the importance of social engagement and mental stimulation; the need for physical activity and exercise; and the necessity of good nutrition.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 11, Posted 9:32 AM, 10.27.2014

Helping children cope with loss

While adults experience grief as a prolonged, deep sadness that incorporates shock, disbelief, anger and acceptance (rarely in any orderly pattern), children experience grief in “bearable bits.” A child will seem to bounce from intensity to levity. Somehow, thankfully, children are self-propelled to keep being kids, even in the face of painful realities. 

Experts suggest following a child’s lead in terms of how deeply to talk about loss. The adult’s job is to listen more, talk less. If your child needs concrete answers, it is sometimes helpful to use a medical term to clarify the uniqueness of the situation and to reassure that other loved ones (and your child) are healthy and safe.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 7, Posted 1:48 PM, 06.30.2014

2014 Screen-Free Week May 5-11

What if we turned off our televisions, computers, smart phones, hand-help electronic devices and video games (except for necessary work) for seven straight days? Perhaps the following: better sleep, increased brain activity, live conversations, walks taken, gardens tended, homes repaired, books read, games played, creativity and exploration, and meaningful connections between families and friends.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 5, Posted 12:12 PM, 05.05.2014

Dick Mann Memorial Run April 26 benefits kids cancer foundation

Cleveland Heights High School will host the Dick Mann Memorial Fun Run, a two-mile road race/walk, on Saturday, April 26, at 9 a.m. The race honors the  late Dick Mann, track coaching legend, and will benefit University Hospitals Iris S. & Bert Wolstein’s Kids Kicking Cancer Foundation. Awards will be given for the top male and female finisher in each age group.

The Heights High track invitational, the 31st annual Weingart Relays, will take place after the memorial run.

The race will start behind Heights High, on Washington Boulevard, and will end at the Heights High track. The course will cover two miles of Cleveland Heights streets, and will pass through Cain Park.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 5, Posted 9:38 AM, 04.22.2014

Cleveland Heights programs encourage bicycling

Over the past several years, Cleveland Heights has become measurably more bicycle-friendly according to the League of American Bicyclists, which recognized the city as a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community in autumn 2013, up from an honorable mention grade in 2010.

In the future, the City of Cleveland Heights plans to continue improving infrastructure for bicyclists. The Heights Bicycle Coalition (HBC) will encourage bicycling with group rides and other programs, while the city, the schools and HBC will educate Heights residents of all ages on bicycling and its benefits as a healthy and environmentally-friendly activity.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 4, Posted 3:15 PM, 03.31.2014

Founder of Center for Integrative Medicine to speak at Fairmount Presbyterian Church Sept. 18

Dr. Mimi Guarneri, a national pioneer in integrative medicine, will be the guest speaker at a William Birkett Williams public lecture at Fairmount Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. She will speak on the topic "Treating the Whole Person: Body, Mind and Spirit."

The lecture, part of Fairmount’s ongoing William Birkett Williams Lecture Series, is free and open to the public.

A cardiologist, Guarneri is the founder and past medical director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego and the president of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. Integrative medicine addresses the lifestyle and emotional and spiritual needs of patients, as well as their physical needs.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 10, Posted 12:47 PM, 09.13.2013

Local author to deliver keynote at next Heights Holistic Fair

Warren Grossman, a well-known author and speaker who lives in Shaker Heights, will present a talk titled "Healing is Natural" at the upcoming Heights Holistic Fair.

The fair, the third in a series this year, will be held Oct. 12 and 13 at the Open Office Community Space, located in the former Coventry School building at 2843 Washington Blvd. in Cleveland Heights. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. 

Grossman, author of To Be Healed by the Earth and Earth/Heart, will discuss tools found in nature for healthier, happier living. He will also lead an interactive workshop, "Strong, Pain-Free Feet," sharing methods for relieving foot pain and building a strong foundation to support the body.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 10, Posted 4:19 PM, 10.01.2013

Join the CureSearch for Children’s Cancer Walk

Join the 4th annual CureSearch for Children’s Cancer Walk on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Wade Oval, University Circle. Here are some reasons to participate:

  • Besides accidents, cancer is the leading cause of death in children, more than all other childhood diseases combined.
  • Drug companies invest next to nothing on research into children’s cancers. They see no profit in it. While the pharmaceutical industry provides up to 60 percent of the research and development for adult cancer, it provides virtually none for children’s cancer. Most treatments for childhood cancers are modified from adult versions.
  • Despite this disparity in the private sector, the National Cancer Institute spends less than 4 percent of its budget on children’s cancer, and, given the current climate in Washington, its budget is being cut even further.
  • The incidence of pediatric cancer has increased by about 30 percent over the last several years. It is unclear why.
  • Cure rates have increased dramatically, rising from 30 percent to 78 percent in the last three decades. Yet 74 percent of childhood cancer survivors suffer from chronic illnesses, and 40 percent from life-threatening illnesses.
Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 9, Posted 10:31 AM, 08.30.2013

Heights senior sprints for gold

At age 70, Stephen Robbins is on fire.

A celebrated author of organizational behavior and management, retired San Diego State University professor, 2005 inductee into the Masters Hall of Fame and a Cleveland Heights resident for five years, Robbins is not one to rest on the laurels of past achievements. Many years ago, Robbins set out to become what he calls “the world's fastest Medicare recipient.”

At this year’s National Senior Games, hosted in Cleveland, Robbins won gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter sprint events. He finished the 100-meter sprint in 13.09 seconds and the 200-meter in 27.33 seconds.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 9, Posted 10:06 AM, 08.13.2013

Heights residents eligible for free medical services at North Coast Health Ministry

North Coast Health Ministry (NCHM), a faith-based charitable health center in Lakewood, now offers its services to low-income, uninsured residents of Cleveland Heights and University Heights.

Previously, NCHM services were available only to individuals who resided in any of the 17 zip codes in northwestern Cuyahoga and eastern Lorain counties. In May, NCHM eliminated zip code restrictions from its patient eligibility guidelines, enabling it to serve all of northeast Ohio.   

“Our mission has always been about increasing access to health care for the underserved,” said Lee Elmore, NCHM executive director. “The elimination of zip code restrictions will allow us to better meet our community’s changing gaps in need as the health-care environment evolves.”

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 7, Posted 10:23 AM, 06.10.2013

Free Mobile Health Fair on June 22

A free Mobile Health Fair offering health screenings and education will be held Saturday, June 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian, in Cleveland Heights.

Free screenings will include measurements of blood pressure; height, weight, and body mass index; vision, including glaucoma, random dot E, near visual and distance acuity; basic hearing; oral screenings for dental issues; and glucose testing.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 6, Posted 3:00 PM, 05.30.2013

Second Heights Holistic Fair adds activities, sponsors and a local cause

Building on the success of the first Heights Holistic Fair held in February, a second, expanded fair will be held on April 13 and 14. The fair will take place in the heart of the Coventry neighborhood, and will offer a wider range of information and activities for all ages. It will also serve as a platform to generate donations to Friends of Heights Libraries.

According to event organizer Judith Eugene of Cleveland Heights, products, services and information on holistic health and sustainable living will be offered. Experts will be on hand both days to provide information on a variety of topics.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 4, Posted 12:49 PM, 03.28.2013

Local resident organizes area's first Holistic Health Fair for Feb. 23 and 24

The first Holistic Fair to be hosted in Cleveland Heights will be held Feb. 23 and 24 at The Unity Center of the Heights, 2653 South Taylor Road. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 2 to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Visitors will have the chance to experience products and services from vendors offering aromatherapy, alternative healing products, raw food, yoga, Reiki, natural pet care, organic clothing, crystals and jewelry.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 2, Posted 11:47 AM, 01.31.2013

The Affordable Care Act: What's in it for you?

Americans held their collective breath awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare. The answer came back on June 28: the historic reform of our healthcare system was upheld as the law of the land.

Passed by Congress in 2010 amid much sound and fury, the ACA affects almost all Americans. Whether you consider healthcare reform a piñata or Pandora’s box, it is important to understand the provisions and benefits contained in the law and how it will affect you and the people you care about.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 8, Posted 11:32 AM, 08.06.2012

Bike to Work Day Coffee Station

The Heights Bicycle Coalition hosted a morning coffee and snack tent on Bike to Work Day, May 18, at the top of Edgehill Road. Over 65 cyclists stopped for coffee, pastry and fruit.

The intersection of Edgehill and Overlook roads is the busiest intersection for cyclists in Northeast Ohio. Many of the cyclist who had time to stop were going to ther jobs at CWRU, University Hospitals, The Cleveland Clinic or downtown. The project was co-sponsored by Phoenix Coffee and FutureHeights.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 6, Posted 8:35 AM, 05.21.2012

New practice offers homeopathic care in the Heights

Although the Law of Similars may sound like something mathematical, it's actually the underlying philosophy of homeopathy, a type of wellness care that uses natural substances to stimulate the body’s immune system. The idea behind the Law of Similars is that a material that causes certain symptoms in a healthy person can, in extremely small doses, cure those same symptoms in an ill person. In other words, the thing that’s making someone sick can also help make that person better.

Area residents interested in exploring homeopathy can now visit Heights Family Health, located in The Heights Medical Center Building in the Cedar Fairmount district. Established by University Heights resident Patti Carlyle in November 2011, the practice addresses a wide range of conditions.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 4, Posted 11:25 AM, 04.04.2012

PBS series examines impact of the built environment on public health

In a new TV series to air on public television in February, host and narrator Dr. Richard Jackson examines the impact the built environment has on key public health indicators. The film highlights the growing recognition that decisions about land use, community design, and transportation planning have a direct effect on physical and mental health, including the rate of obesity, the incidence of chronic diseases, such as asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and pedestrian injury and fatality.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 3, Posted 12:33 PM, 01.31.2012

Be a part of Family Wellness Walks

According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years. In 2008, about 19.6 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 were obese.

To combat that trend, the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) awarded ten grants to PTAs across the nation—including the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Council of PTAs—to implement wellness initiatives.  

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 3, Posted 5:00 PM, 02.29.2012

Leading Ladies and PTA host wellness challenge

Childhood and teenage obesity is on the rise throughout the nation. Developing healthy lifestyles is an initiative of both the national Parent Teacher Association and First Lady Michelle Obama. In an effort to support that initiative, Leading Ladies Inc., the empowerment club at Cleveland Heights High School will collaborate with the local PTA to bring the 4th annual Healthy Lifestyles Wellness Challenge to the community.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 10, Posted 2:05 PM, 09.27.2011

A well-kept secret: Judson community wellness program helps members stay fit

Here is a little-known fact: Judson Park, a residential retirement facility, offers a fitness program open to the public. 

Currently, 125 community members, ranging in age from 50 to over 80, participate during the week. Classes include water aerobics, power walking and arthritis exercise in the pool, strength training, pilates, yoga, and a balance clinic on land. No contract is required. There is an enrollment fee of $60, and members pay $55/month for unlimited access to classes, the pool and exercise room.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 10, Posted 9:33 AM, 09.23.2011

Do you know who will make your health care decisions if you cannot?

Ohio law recognizes two types of advance directives a person can use to express their health care wishes in the event they are involved in an accident, fall into a coma, or are otherwise unable to make their own decisions. These are the health care power of attorney and the living will. The two documents are different, but both are important to have, especially if you are in a committed unmarried relationship or have religious concerns about medical procedures.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 8, Posted 12:49 PM, 08.02.2011

Cleveland Heights Bicycle Coalition invites cyclists to quarterly meeting

Interested in knowing more about bicycle commuting? The Cleveland Heights Bicycle Coalition's quarterly meeting on July 20 at 7 p.m. at Dennison Park (corner of Monticello Boulevard and S. Belvoir Blvd.) will feature presentations by three experienced bike commuters. The riders will talk about how they commute to work by bike – their processes, equipment and routes.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 8, Posted 9:24 AM, 07.19.2011

CHBC urges residents to try bicycle commuting

Commuting by bicycle is growing in popularity as more and more people recognize it as a healthy and an environmentally sound way to get to work. Experienced bicycle commuters enjoy combining their travel time with a workout. They say it is a great way to transition to and from work, arriving at work ready to settle in and having time after work to de-stress before arriving home.

Most bike commuters combine bike commuting with public transportation and/or a car.

Three local bicycle commuters give their stories below. They will also give short presentations and answer questions at the July 20 Cleveland Heights Bicycle Coalition quarterly meeting. (see sidebar below)

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 7, Posted 10:56 AM, 07.05.2011

Control mosquitoes naturally

Its name comes from the Spanish for "little fly." It is so agile it can fly through a rain shower without getting wet! Only the female sucks human blood.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 7, Posted 2:52 PM, 07.04.2011

Now is the time to get on your bike and ride!

The popularity of cycling is soaring as more and more people recognize the benefits of bicycling for recreation and commuting. According to the Northeast Ohio Coordinating Agency, the number of bicyclists in Cuyahoga County increased by around 50 percent between 2006 and 2010.

Recognizing this trend, Cleveland Heights City Council proclaimed May “Bike Month." This proclamation highlights a key strength the city can build on. According to various government studies, Cleveland Heights has the busiest bicycle routes in the region. It also ranks high both locally and nationally, in bicycle usage for commuting.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 5, Posted 11:14 AM, 05.03.2011

Long distance bike tour featured at CHBC meeting

The Cleveland Heights Bicycle Coalition will host its quarterly meeting at 6:30 p.m., on Thursday, April 21, at Jimmy O’Neill's Tavern, 2195 Lee Road. Doug Bahniuk, voted one of Cleveland's Most Interesting People by Cleveland Magazine (Jan, 2011), will discuss long distance bike touring and his work to raise funds for Parkinson’s research. CHBC board members will also talk about progress in local bicycle advocacy.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 4, Posted 9:30 AM, 04.11.2011

Keep your New Year's resolution with Team In Training

It's time once again to reflect on your goals for the New Year. If getting fit and healthy is on your list for 2011, then it's time to join The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training (TNT) program.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 3, Posted 2:22 PM, 01.07.2011

Cleveland Heights is tops in walkability

A new neighborhood-quality metric is commanding the attention of home buyers, according to such influential publications as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and–The Heights Observer.

The news is that home buyers are paying more attention than ever to walkability. Fewer and fewer people in the market for a house want large lots in remote places, where little is going on. Several factors make walkable neighborhoods more attractive, including a desire to avoid traffic congestion, an aversion to having to drive everywhere, and rising oil prices. Walkable neighborhoods also tend to have vibrant street life and a friendly character.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 3, Posted 10:03 AM, 03.01.2011

Efforts continue to prevent closing of Huron trauma center

Last October it was announced that Cleveland Clinic would be closing the Level II trauma center at Huron Hospital, and trauma cases would be moved to a new facility at Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights. This announcement came as a shock to many East Cleveland residents who view the trauma center as an important part of their community and its health and safety. The closing of the trauma center will have an effect on many other suburbs, including Cleveland Heights and University Heights.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 3, Posted 11:24 PM, 02.21.2011

Kuk Sool Won master leads martial arts classes at Cleveland Heights Community Center

Robert Carson, martial arts instructor at the Cleveland Heights Community Center and director of NEON Health Services, was promoted to master level, fifth degree black belt at the 2010 World Kuk Sool Association Tournament and Master Demonstration in Houston, Texas.

Seven of Carson’s students also attended and earned first degree black belts: Tony Calabro and daughter Sydney; David Pritts and daughter Ava and son Will Pritts; Caroline Koepke; and Nate Wilson. Carson and his students all live in Cleveland Heights.

 

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 2, Posted 3:04 PM, 01.18.2011

Heights High club tackles adolescent obesity

No doubt you’ve heard statements like these: "Kids don’t get enough exercise" and "Teenagers spend most of their free time on the couch or on the computer while eating junk food." Unfortunately, they are all too true! Childhood and teen obesity is on the rise across the nation. Developing healthy lifestyles has become a major initiative of the national Parent Teacher Association and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Read Full Story
Volume 3, Issue 11, Posted 5:48 PM, 10.07.2010

Train with TNT to change your life, raise funds to change the lives of others

Some people do it just to get off the couch and improve their health. Some people do it because their life has been touched by a blood cancer and want to make a difference. And some people do it for the camaraderie and the fun of being with others. For whatever reason, when you join Team in Training it gets us all closer to a world without cancer.

Read Full Story
Volume 3, Issue 11, Posted 3:37 PM, 10.16.2010