KINGFIELD – Mt. Abram Regional Health Center and its parent organization, HealthReach Community Health Centers, will sponsor a senior health forum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at Webster Hall. The event is being held in conjunction with National Health Center Week.

Connie Coggins, president and CEO of HealthReach Community Health Centers, said, “Annually health centers around the country recognize the second week in August as an opportunity to illustrate the very important role they play in local communities. The theme of this year’s national Health Center Week is ‘America’s Health Centers: Your Health Care Home’.”

Coggins said, “Many community health centers plan local events to generate community pride and at the same time build support for the health center and its programs.”

HRCHC is a private, nonprofit organization whose 11 member centers provide primary health care services to individuals of all ages in central and western Maine. It is joining with the Mt. Abram center in sponsorship of the forum.

Jack McKee, president of the Mt. Abram board, said the “forum will bring together experts from regional agencies and organizations to provide seniors, their families and care givers valuable health-related information as well as how to access programs, which can assist seniors in their daily activities.”

It will also offer community members an opportunity to learn about the Mt. Abram Center and the community services it offers.

The forum will cover a variety of issues, including physical fitness, diet and nutrition, Medicare Part D, Meals on Wheels, Western Maine Transportation, diabetes education, hypertension and blood pressure screenings and pandemic flu preparation.

McKee said, “It is designed to enable those attending to meet with and talk to participating experts. It will not be a series of lectures.”

HRCHC is a system of 11 federally qualified community-based centers located in Albion, Belgrade, Bethel, Bingham, Coopers Mills, Kingfield, Livermore Falls, Madison, Rangeley and Strong.

The Mt. Abram Center serves Eustis/Stratton, Carrabassett Valley, Kingfield, New Portland and a number of unorganized territories including portions of Salem and Freeman townships.