The Lyndhurst Health Department’s Holiday Food Drive has begun. We are collecting turkeys, canned vegetables, gravy, cranberry sauce, canned/boxed potatoes, stuffing mix, and frozen lasagnas. Items can be dropped off Monday through Fridays (9 am-4 pm). Thanks to the generosity of the Lyndhurst community, our food pantry has been assisting over 100 Lyndhurst families in need. We receive donations from schools, businesses, churches, social organizations, and individuals.

If you are a Lyndhurst resident in need, please bring proof of Lyndhurst residency and proof of need. Food Pantry hours are Mon, Tues, Wed, and Thurs from 1:30-4:00 pm.  The Lyndhurst Food Pantry is staffed by the Woman’s Club of Lyndhurst. Please call 201-804-2500 for further information.

Under the direction of Commissioner Brian C. Haggerty, the Lyndhurst Health Department collaborates with Clara Maass Medical Center to provide free health dinner forums at which residents have the opportunity to ask questions of medical experts in the field. Over 45 people attended the Breast Health Dinner Forum at the Lyndhurst Health Department on Oct. 12th. Their next dinner forum, Heart Healthy Cooking, will be held on Nov. 9 at 5:30pm ; it will include a cooking demonstration, meal, and question and answer session.  Pre-registration is required. Please call 201-804-2500 to reserve your seat.  Residents of surrounding towns are welcome to attend.

New Jersey residents who sustained damage from Hurricane Irene have only two more weeks to register for assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The deadline is Oct. 31, 2011.

“Two weeks may sound like plenty of time, but the 31st will be here before you know it,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer William L. Vogel. “If you had damage and haven’t registered yet, please do so before it’s too late.”

Click here for additional information

The Lyndhurst community is continuing with its drive to help the Lyndhurst flood victims. At the recent Lyndhurst Health Dinner Forum, Boiling Springs Savings Bank and the Sons of the American Legion presented gift cards and a check to Jaime Ardizzone, coordinator of the Flood Relief Fund. This fund helps Lyndhurst residents who were affected by the Hurricane Irene floods.

The Lyndhurst Health Department, under the direction of Brian C. Haggerty, is pleased to announce a  two-part Medicare Breakfast Symposium on Fridays October 28 and November 4th at the Lyndhurst Health Department. Made possible through our partnership with Robert Frank, of ADP, these lectures will help you learn about the different parts of Medicare and to understand the importance of reviewing your benefits during the open enrollment period.

As a Medicare enrollee, do you know what you should do for your 2012 coverage? The Lyndhurst Health Department wants you to know that open enrollment for Medicare starts earlier this year for both prescription drug and health plans. Open enrollment will begin October 15 and continue through December 7, 2011. For all beneficiaries changing or joining a new plan, the changes will not take effect until January 1, 2012.

Every year Medicare beneficiaries should review their current health plan and check the prescription drug formularies of varying plans. Cost and coverage changes occur each year, even if you keep your existing plan. Reviewing your coverage each year allows you to compare your plan's ratings with other available plans to see if there is a better choice for you. A booklet, 2012 Medicare & You, was mailed to Medicare beneficiaries in September. The electronic version of the booklet can be obtained by visiting MyMedicare.gov. For further Medicare questions, please call 1-800-MEDICARE.  

Please call the Lyndhurst Health Department at 201-804-2500 to register for their Medicare Symposium at the Lyndhurst Health Department. Free breakfast will be served. Pre-registration is required. Residents of surrounding towns are welcome.

Many New Jersey survivors of Hurricane Irene have serious disaster-related needs. Groups known as Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) are stepping in to meet these needs and members of these groups expect to be assisting long after the emergency phase has passed.

Click here for additional information

Registering for assistance is just the first step.  Call FEMA's Helpline, 800-621-3362 (FEMA), seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Multilingual operators are available.  Assistance is also available online anytime at www.disasterassistance.gov or m.fema.gov. It's important to take an active role in the process, ask questions, and keep in touch.
Here's some advice from the experts:
*    Write down and keep the nine-digit FEMA registration number
*    Meet with the housing inspector
*    Complete and return the SBA application immediately if you receive one
*    Read all letters carefully
*    Call the Helpline if you receive anything from FEMA that you do not understand
*    Call FEMA to let them know about any changes in your address, phone number, or insurance payments
*    If you haven't heard from FEMA in two weeks - call

Lyndhurst Health Department
253 Stuyvesant Avenue
For Lyndhurst residents 18 and over
Thurs, Oct 13  9-11 am
Thurs, Oct 20, 6-8 pm

Lyndhurst Health Department Announces Seasonal Flu Shot Clinics
Have you ever had the Flu? If so, you know how uncomfortable and lousy the flu makes you feel: fever, aches, pains, weakness, cough, sore throat, headaches, upset stomach, and extreme exhaustion.  

Since the best treatment is prevention, the Lyndhurst Health Department, under the direction of Commissioner Brian C. Haggerty, is pleased to announce that seasonal flu shots have arrived and two clinics have been scheduled. The first clinic will be held on Thursday, October 13th from 9 -11 am. Our second clinic is Thursday, October 20th from 6-8 pm. Free seasonal flu shots are available to all Lyndhurst residents who are 18 years of age and older.

About 5%-20% of the U.S. population gets the flu each year. Flu complications include pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, asthma attacks, and ear infections. Some of these can be life threatening.

While the flu shot is the best way to protect you from the flu, there are additional preventative measures that can be taken in order to stay well. The spread of germs in our community can be prevented if people wash their hands frequently, sneeze or cough into their elbow and stay home when sick.

If you do get the flu, drink plenty of fluids, rest, and stay home from work or school. Call your physician immediately as there are anti-viral medications available by prescription. These medications can help make your illness less severe if the medication is taken within the first 48 hours of the flu’s onset.

The Lyndhurst Health Department is offering the injectable seasonal flu shot. It cannot give you the flu. If you are a Lyndhurst resident 18 years or older, free flu shots are available on October 13th and October 20th. If you miss these flu shot clinics, please call Alison Roa, RN, (201-804-2500) after October 25thh to see if we have remaining doses. If doses remain, individual appointments will be given for the seasonal flu shots.

Medicare cards must be presented by anyone who is on Medicare. Please wear clothes with loose fitting sleeves so it is easy to receive the shot. No appointments are necessary for the flu clinics. For more information, visit www.lyndhursthealth.org or call the Lyndhurst Health Department at 201-804-2500.


Picture: Alison Roa, Lyndhurst public health nurse giving a seasonal flu shot to Joan Hild in previous year (Ruth Ferrie, RN in background).