The 22nd Omaha Women’s Health & Wellness Conference will be held Friday, Oct. 25, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the La Vista Conference Center, 12520 Westport Parkway.
The theme of the conference is: "Protecting Yourself: The Path to Improved Health" and will feature three main sessions and six health education sessions. The conference offers new health insights, encouraging and empowering messages, health screenings, exhibits and fellowship.
The conference is hosted by the Olson Center for Women’s Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medicine, University of Nebraska at Omaha and WELLCOM. It will kick off with a continental breakfast and morning health fair with more than 50 vendors and will include health screenings, education, demonstrations, massage, and consultation.
Registration deadline is Oct. 18. The cost is $59, which includes lectures, exhibits, breakfast, lunch and afternoon refreshments and door prizes. Continuing nursing education credit is available at an additional $30.
Low-cost screenings such as lipid and glucose profiles and a complete blood count, will be available for $17. A thyroid-stimulating hormone test will be available for $7. Flu shots will be offered for $20.
Breakfast keynote speaker will be Athena Ramos, Ph.D., assistant professor in health promotion, Center for Reducing Health Disparities, UNMC College of Public Health. Her talk titled, "Changing the Game on the Social Determinants of Health: A Road Map to Well-Being," will share opportunities to change individual and community health outcomes.
General session speaker will be Michael Summers, M.D., UNMC assistant professor of medicine and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Nebraska Medicine. His talk, "Women and Sleep Disorders," will discuss some common sleep disorders that impact women and strategies to improve sleep quality and quantity, as well as a discussion of obstructive sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.
The closing session speaker, Nick Howe, firefighter, two-time cancer survivor, and new father, will tell his story in a talk titled, "Into the Future."
Attendees can choose to attend two breakout sessions in the afternoon.
First sessions and topics will feature:
- "Vaccine Recommendations for Nebraskans," Ally Dering-Anderson, Pharm.D., UNMC College of Pharmacy — vaccines that are recommended for Nebraskans from toddlers to their grandparents with emphasis on common, vaccine-preventable diseases and recommended dosing schedules;
- "Skin Changes during Each Decade of a Woman’s Life," Jennifer Abrahams, M.D., UNMC Department of Dermatology — learn what to expect as our skin ages, how to identify signs of concern, and how to keep your skin healthy at each stage of life; and
- "Hoarding: The Difference Between Messy and Mental Disorder," Lauren Edwards, M.D., UNMC Department of Psychiatry – learn the difference between the clutter we all struggle with at times, and hoarding disorder, which can be debilitating. Also will include how a diagnosis is made, the science, and treatment.
Second sessions and topics will feature:
- "The Work/Life Balance Dance: Staying in Rhythm at Work and Home," Theresa Nelson, Wellness Council of the Midlands — hear what "work/life" balance really means and discover techniques to change behavior and have a rewarding career and fulfilling home life;
- "Women’s Body Image across the Lifespan: Effects on Mental Health and Coping Strategies," Emaan Lehardy, Ph.D., Nebraska Medicine Psychology Department – learn how body image, social and cultural influences contribute to the psychological effects of a negative body image. This session will share coping strategies for a healthy outlook; and
- "Safety in Numbers: Four Lessons in Cybersecurity for Personal and Professional Protection," Ryan Sothan, Nebraska Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General – protect yourself and your family from data breaches and cyber attacks with simple but effective strategies for using computers, software, smartphones, the Internet, and social media.
Platinum financial sponsors of the conference are Essentials Chiropractic and Heartland Center for Reproductive Health.
Register for the conference online at OmahaWomensHealthandWellness.com. For more information, contact the Olson Center for Women’s Health at 402.559.6345.
We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.
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