Get Screened, Get Educated: 50 and Better Health Fair Returns to Des Moines University Clinic

Mark your calendar for the 50 and Better Health Fair on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, from 8 a.m. to noon at Des Moines University Clinic's Olsen Center, 3200 Grand Ave. This free annual event, designed for adults aged 50 and older, offers a morning filled with health screenings, educational sessions and engaging activities to promote well-being.

Attendees can receive expert health screenings performed by DMU medical students, supervised by faculty, with services including vision, balance and foot screenings and osteopathic manual treatments. In addition, attendees can benefit from a range of services and educational opportunities, including:

• Breast cancer awareness and prevention.
• Demonstrations on the importance of point-of-care ultrasound.
• General strength and balance assessments and activities.
• Information on health and aging.
• Neurological screenings.
• Skin care education and screenings.
• Social health and its impact on overall well-being.
• Tips on good sleep practices and sleep hygiene.

"The 50 and Better Health Fair is an excellent way for our students to engage with community members through hands-on screenings and procedures they've learned in our labs," says Sarah Parrott, D.O., FAAFP, chair of the osteopathic clinical medicine department at DMU and a family physician at the DMU Clinic - Family Medicine. "It's also a great opportunity to educate older adults on how to maintain their health and stay connected within the community."

The event will also feature external community partners including Aging Resources of Central Iowa, Community and Family Resources, DART, Drake University, the Iowa Council of the United Blind, the Iowa Department for the Blind, Prevent Blindness Iowa, SHIIP and the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.

"It's a one-stop shop for individuals in the community who are 50 and older to learn how they can age more independently," says Matthew Mackarevich, a third-year student in DMU's Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program and past president of DMU's Geriatrics Club.

The event is free, requires no fasting and has plenty of free parking available on-site. Registration is not required. For more information, email [email protected].