Cary Medical Center, a 63 -bed Rural Caribou hospital in Maine has created the Siruno stroke prevention program to help members of the community develop and maintain healthy lifestyles. This program offers free tests of blood pressure and education on nutrition, prevention of diabetes and smoking cessation; encourages regular physical activity; And directs other wellness programs to reduce the risk of stroke.
As part of the Siruno stroke prevention program, a team member directs a series of virtual classes called Eat the Mediterranean – a healthy choice. These classes provide cooking demonstrations and share information and recipes on the Mediterranean diet, a healthy diet that research studies have linked to the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions.
The stroke prevention program also encourages community members to engage in physical activity for 150 minutes per week, as recommended by the American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health organizations. Each year, Cary Medical Center leads a variety of physical activities, one of which is the 100 miles in 100 days of fitness challenge This encourages people to integrate a daily walk into their lifestyle. The hospital sends health advice and motivating messages to participants, who have entered a drawing for gift cards if they report their miles and meet the challenge.
In addition, the program offers free blood pressure screenings to businesses and the general public and distributes blood pressure education packages.
The Siruno stroke prevention program was created by the family of the late Cesar Siruno, MD, a beloved general surgeon of the Cary Medical Center who defended the prevention and promotion of health.