Posted: Jun 1, 2021, 12:54 PM
Nurses from the Bossier Parish Correctional Center administered wellness tests and parish employees learned how to recognize symptoms of stroke and heart attack during the Bossier Parish Police Jury’s first Informational Health and Wellness Fair last week.
Cindy Holley, Nursing Services Director at the correctional center, brought her staff to the parish courthouse for the wellness fair. Event coordinator Jim Firth told the group attending he hoped the annual exchange of health information would be an annual affair.
Holley told the group of parish employees that heart disease and strokes are major health risks facing individuals. Learning to recognize symptoms could help save a life, she said.
“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease,” Holley said. “And someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Every four minutes, someone dies of a stroke.”
She also presented information on the symptoms and dangers of diabetes.
In addition to the exchange of information, Holley’s staff administered free blood pressure checks and blood sugar tests. Holley also demonstrated the use of a portable defibrillator unit, pointing out that several units are strategically located throughout the courthouse.
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