Thousands Attend Annual Senior Wellness Fest
JACKSON, Miss. — Thousands of senior citizens from across Mississippi took advantage of free health services and screenings Wednesday during the annual Senior Wellness Fest sponsored by 16 WAPT.
For many older adults, the event at the Mississippi Trade Mart was a chance to get tests they couldn’t otherwise afford.
Ruthie Jackson said she has insurance and Medicare, but with her husband’s end-stage cancer, she has more than $50,000 in medical bills to pay.
“Every time he goes into the hospital it’s very expensive,” Jackson said. “Not to mention the medicine we have to pay for.”
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For older adults like Jackson, Senior Wellness Fest was a chance to take advantage of health screenings they couldn’t otherwise afford.
From vision tests to cholesterol tests, health professionals offered the full gamut of tests older adults need.
Dave Washington was getting his bone density checked on Wednesday. He said that he doesn’t have insurance coverage right now. Washington said he played professional football for more than a decade, and said that the coverage for former players isn’t what it should be.
“I tell everyone, ‘You need to get tested so you’ll know what you have, and can take care of that,'” Washington said.
Washington is hopeful that health care reform implemented by the Obama administration will improve coverage options for seniors. The tests he underwent on Wednesday showed that his health is good right now.
Members of the 16 WAPT News morning team helped host Wednesday’s event.
IIT-B alumni launch Wellness fund for retired faculty
Mumbai, Sep 8 (PTI) IIT-Bombay graduates from class of 1984 have launched a Wellness fund for retired faculty with an initial endowment corpus of more than Rs 1.5 crore, to express their appreciation for their teachers. “A part of their Legacy Project, instituted last December during the alumni’s silver jubilee reunion, the Retired Faculty Wellness Fund is the Class of 84’s expression of gratitude for a high-quality, inexpensive education, an indelible experience over their five-years in campus and for a network of lifelong friends,” K K Iyer, the chief architect of the scheme said today. Until 2003, no medical coverage was offered to faculty and staff. Many of the teachers, now well into their 70s, lacked adequate medical coverage at a time when they needed it the most and therefore the corpus of the Retired Faculty Wellness Fund will now cover close to 150 faculty members, he said. “The fund will now cover all retired faculty members (and spouses) who retired prior to 2003. They will be provided supplementary medical insurance with an annual family limit of Rs 1,50,000,” Iyer said adding the entire annual premium will be paid out of the Retired Faculty Wellness Fund. “This is a unique health cover which I hope symbolises the bond between us and our teachers,” he added. To lead a healthy life in the campus, another 1984 batch alumus and Professor at IIT-B, Mahesh Patil said that they have created a ‘Soneri Baugh’ to preserve rich biodiversity.PTI LV VKV
