Ridgecrest Regional Hospital– In light of the many financial challenges faced by Ridgecrest Regional Hospital, leadership made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Health Fair.
“For many years, we have sponsored the Health Fair to build bridges into our community and connect residents with the support they need to succeed on their journeys to health and wellness,” said Tera Moorehead, director of outreach at RRH.
“There have been a lot of developments that have disappointed us, as well as the community we serve,” said Jim Suver, CEO of the hospital. “Industry experts cite unprecedented challenges relating to pandemic recovery, skyrocketing costs, and skilled-worker shortages that drive small, independent hospitals to declare bankruptcy. With the added deficit resulting from earthquake recovery and rural challenges, we have cut many programs that we know are important to our community.”
“While it is disappointing to lose this avenue for outreach, we are doing everything we can to facilitate wellness,” said Tera.
“In a town with limited resources, outreach is such an important tool,” she said. The Health Fair was unique because it allowed residents to access low-cost screenings and introductions to the dozens of businesses and organizations in town that support people on their health journeys.
“While we cannot replicate that exactly, we still provide health education and classes, support groups, exercise programs, and other supports.”
If you follow RRH on social media, she noted the steady stream of content offering advice and information on everything from shopping for healthier food to finding a support group for chronic disease.
“We are here to collaborate with our community, and I am always available to offer presentations that promote good health,” she said. “For instance, we recently teamed up with Ridgecrest Branch Library to offer a display on added sugar and simple food swaps that can lower your intake.”
Moorehead will attend the Economic Outlook Conference next week, where she will be on hand to offer information and recommendations for a variety of wellness resources. “Come stop by our booth at the Business Expo, and tell us about your journey and how we can help!”
For information on outreach programs, call Moorehead at 760-499-3825.
