Lakewood Health System's durable medical equipment store, Medical Marketplace, will be hosting a sleep apnea support group from 1:30-3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21 in the board room at Lakewood's Main Campus. Meetings will be held monthly through March 2011. Subsequent meetings after the initial October date include: Nov. 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Dec. 16, 1:30-3 p.m.; Jan. 20, 1:30-3 p.m.; Feb. 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; and March 17, 1:30-3 p.m.
This series of meetings will follow a nationally recognized sleep apnea program called A.W.A.K.E., which stands for Alert, Well And Keeping Energetic and was created on behalf of the American Sleep Apnea Association. Lakewood Health System is the only healthcare facility in Central Minnesota to offer an A.W.A.K.E. support group. Discussions will include:
- How to optimize sleep apnea therapy
- Effects of sleep apnea on overall health
- Coping mechanisms in dealing with sleep apnea
- Personal accounts and sharing
Tracy Gaffke, home medical equipment coordinator for Medical Marketplace will lead the discussion at each meeting and provide fun ways to interactively learn from other attendees.
For more information about the series of sleep apnea support group meetings, please call Tracy at (218) 894-8482.
