Annual Senior Expo brings about 80 vendors in one location
Apr 19, 2018HANNIBAL, Mo. -- About 600 seniors and 80 vendors are expected to attend the 11th annual Senior Expo on Thursday in Hannibal. The event is designed to help older adults learn about and connect with area services, programs and businesses that assist with aging. The theme this year is "Boldly Going Forward" to honor the courage associated with getting older. "Retiring or being a mature person is challenging," said Stacey Nicholas, director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer program at Douglass Community Services. "This year's theme honors the courage associated with maturing in our society." Nicholas said the Senior Expo is ideal for seniors and their families to attend because of how many vendors will be on hand. "The Senior Expo enables seniors and those who love them to encounter a large number of services and activities designed for them, all in one central location," Nicholas said. "It is a great opportunity to learn and share ideas." Vendors include the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library, Foster Grandparents, Missouri Vein Care, the Social Security Administration, the Northeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging, James O'Donnell Funeral Home and Community Loving Care Hospice. In addition, two special areas will be set up at the Senior Expo. Hannibal Regional will have a 20-foot-long inflatable colon that people can walk inside and to see various stages of colon cancer. The purpose is to raise awareness about colon cancer, a leading cause of death among women and men. Patrick Keyser, senior marketing coordinator at Hannibal Regional, said in a statement that 1 in 3 people are not up to date with their colon screenings. "It's important to be screened for colon cancer beginning at the age of 50 because often the signs and symptoms appear only when the cancer has progressed to the later stages or has spread," Keyser said. The Hannibal Police Department will be collecting unused prescription and over-the-counter medications as a way to help make seniors' homes safer. No needles, syringes or liqui... (Herald-Whig)
