The Healthcare Expo 2022 planning is underway, as the Southern Ohio Social Work and Healthcare Alliance attempts to continue the tradition of growing an important community healthcare offering further.
The event started, many years ago, as “Senior Day Out,” and has changed locations various times throughout the years, due to growth. Most recently, it moved locations to the Wheelersburg Flea Market Grounds, where it can expand into that entire area. The organizers have also expanded the offerings to include more than senior care outlets.
Local healthcare providers will be represented at the expo, where they will be promoting their services and having many outreach opportunities.
The representatives will reflect all levels of care, including hospitals, home health, hospice care, nursing and rehabilitation centers, and more. The groups will be providing the crowd with the most up-to-date resources, information, programs, and services they offer.
“We are just a bunch of healthcare workers, whether it be nurses, social workers, marketing and sales reps and so on, who meet on a monthly basis to discuss our area and what is generally going on. We basically promote healthcare to people within our group and to others,” SOMC’s Scott Akers, Vice President and Treasurer of Southern Ohio Social Work and Healthcare Alliance, said.
Akers also remarked that the group welcomes guest speakers at each meeting, oftentimes nurses or doctors, but, this month, the group is welcoming Miss Minford, which is exciting for the group and the young River Days contender.
This working group is responsible for the Healthcare Expo, where many vendors will present. Akers said that many of the vendors will also feature free health screenings.
“We’ve have around 25 vendors so far, and they are healthcare professionals who will be promoting their businesses and letting people know what they do. Some will be offering free screenings, such as blood pressure and glucometer readings; your basic checks.”
Akers said that the event is important to him for many reasons, but education is the biggest reason.
“We want people to know that there is help out there,” Akers explained, while discussing the importance of healthcare education in Appalachia.” We have done this for years and have outgrown everywhere we have had it. We usually bring in 500 to 600 people. Everyone is welcome.”
The group is still accepting vendors, food trucks, and crafters. They will also be offering free hot dogs, chips and water. There will also be door prizes for guests to enter.
Current vendors include Best Care, Edgewood Manor, Piketon Nursing Center, Nuclear Care Partners, Abbott Home Care, Blessed At Home, Concord, Morning Pointe, Easterseals. Randall Residence, Infusion Solutions, Buckeye Hospice and Palliative Care, Crystal Care, National Church Residences, Holzer, Ayden Healthcare, Village Caregiving, Bluegrass Consulting Group, Southern Ohio Medical Center, and Professional Case Management.
The Healthcare Expo will be Friday, October 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wheelersburg Flea Market Grounds. Anyone interested in being a vendor can reach out to Akers directly at 614.282.0465.
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