SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — The Kathryn Rose Party Center and Lounge, located at 3116 N. Bend Road, was the venue Tuesday for the Ashtabula County Arthritis Expo.

The event was co-sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation, UH-Geneva Medical Center and UH-Conneaut Medical Center, said Lori Slimmer, community educator for UH-Geneva Medical Center.

“We are very pleased with the turn-out today: 112 attendees and about 30 exhibitors,” Slimmer said.

“Our goal for this Expo is to provide an educational program for people with arthritis as well as osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and joint replacements,” said Nancy Cox, field representative for the Ashtabula Arthritis Foundation. “Part of the presentations today have to do with relaxation and pain management through appropriate exercise.”

Many exhibitors were on hand to inform the public what products and services they have available to help arthritis sufferers.

Nancy Hutchens, a community outreach nurse for UH-Conneaut Medical Center, was providing free blood pressure screens.

“Over half of the people I checked today had elevated pressures,” she said. “Controlling high blood pressure is an important part of healthcare. People in pain will have an elevated pressure, so they need to keep it in control and free screenings are a great tool to finding out who needs to get back on their medicine.”

Brunner Healthcare, located at 8444 Mentor Ave., Mentor, was available to showcase their medical equipment, supplies and repair services. This is Brunner’s fourth visit to the Expo.

“We help people stay in their homes and remain as independent as possible,” said Judy Giancola a Brunner representative. “We invite the public to come out to our store and just view all we have available to them even before they have to buy.”

Other exhibitors included: Rae-Ann Geneva Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Ohio Bone and Joint Institute, Ashtabula Senior Center, Austinburg Rehabilitation Center, Continuum Home Care Inc., Humana Inc., Inn-Conneaut Health and Rehabilitation Center, RSVP of Ashtabula, Wellness & Total Learning Center and more.

One of the many presenters, Dr. Michael Retino, gave an update on joint replacement, “Weight loss is important, it will put less stress on the joints and will get you back on your feet sooner after replacement surgery.”

Other presenters were: Ashlee Rzyczycki of OSU Extension on Bone Health; Dr. Bruce Piszel on Fibromyalgia; Dr. Raymond Hong on Rheumatoid Arthritis; and Chris Litwiler and Rebecca Campbell of the Arthritis Foundation demonstrated exercises.

“We want to make sure people understand what their disease is and how manage it for an optimal quality of life,” Slimmer said.