Preventive efforts to be focus in new era
Mount Carmel West executive chef Kevin Stuhldreher tilted a sauce pan to show off the roux he was making with canola oil, onions and flour.
“See how it slides on the bottom of the pan? It’s not sticking to the pan?” he asked the more than 80 people gathered to watch the cooking demonstration at the hospital’s Healthy Living Center in Franklinton.
“A really good roux you should be able to flip like a pancake, and it stays
together. That’s how you know your roux is cooked. It’s a critical part.”
And with that, Stuhldreher was on his way toward making a tuna noodle casserole, modified to reduce fat and sodium and increase health benefits.
The monthly cooking demonstration is one of the most popular programs at the center, which offers a number of free programs in partnership with community organizations. Among them are classes on prenatal care, meditation, diabetes education, weight management, yoga, tai chi and Zumba. It also provides space for community meetings and programs.
The center, with its goal of helping people get and stay healthy, will be one of the fixtures of the Mount Carmel West campus after the hospital moves its inpatient services to Grove City. Changes at West are expected to start in late 2018 or later.
The focus on prevention represents the future of health care, said center manager Ami Peacock.
She said her hope is that planned green space will allow the center to expand its offerings to include outdoor programs such as walking and running clubs and bicycling for fitness. Along with promoting health, the programs offer participants a social outlet that fights isolation and builds a sense of community and belonging, Peacock said.
“We’re doing comprehensive health and wellness programs that really keep people out of the hospital,” she said. “The idea of doing some of these prevention and early-detection programs is something that the hospital is really committed to, especially as things are changing and shifting.”
Since the center opened in September 2013, it has hosted more than 30,000 visitors.
Each person attending the cooking demo received a serving of casserole along with a salad and fruit, and everyone went home with a shopping bag of ingredients — noodles, an onion, a carrot, mushrooms and a packet of oregano, Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.
Martha Erwin, 58, lives on the Hilltop and has been going to the center programs for about two years. She attends the cooking demonstration and a weight-loss program that follows. She said she’s lost 66 pounds.
She used to spend her $40 to $60 grocery budget on items such as lemon pies and potato chips; she now spends it on ingredients for salads and dairy products.
“I’m buying less junk food, and … I’m eating more healthy, and that has helped me lose the weight,” she said.
Franklinton artist Marty Johnson has attended cooking demonstrations and classes in tai chi, mindful eating, meditation and stress management. She also serves as a volunteer and said the center is a place where people gather and learn about what’s going on in Franklinton.
“I’m retired, and this is what keeps me active and busy,” said Johnson, 73. “I’m getting to know so many people in this community, and I’m active in the community. And so it keeps me young. It keeps me busy and focused.”
At the cooking demonstration, participants also heard from representatives of organizations such as Franklinton Gardens, Franklinton Cycle Works and Franklinton Area Neighbors.
They also heard from dietitians and learned a bit about diabetes and how to prevent osteoporosis.
Trent Smith, executive director of the Franklinton Board of Trade, was among community representatives attending. He said that he often is asked what will happen to the neighborhood when Mount Carmel moves its inpatient hospital.
“They’re not leaving,” he said. “And this is a beautiful example of what’s going to stay behind that will then have a chance to grow and expand.”