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Health Notes

V.A. STARTS CAREGIVER PROGRAM . . . The Department of Veterans Affairs will invest $4.7 million in education pilot programs for caregivers who treat veterans where they live. The Palo Alto V.A. Hospital will be part of the program, providing education, support and skills-building to help caregivers manage their behaviors and stress. Many of the projects use technology, including computers and Web-based training and video conferencing to support the needs of caregivers who often cannot leave their homes. The V.A. has education programs for caregivers on accessing legal help, financial support, home-delivered meals and housing assistance. For more information contact the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, 800-455-0057.

SUP. KNISS WAGES BATTLE OF THE BULGE . . . Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss wants fast-food chains in the county to prominently display calorie counts on menus and menu boards. Two out of every three Americans are overweight, and one in three is obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The posting should be featured just as conspicuously as the entree and the price, she said. A former public-health nurse, Kniss has seen first-hand the many diseases overeating can cause, including heart disease and Type-2 diabetes. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar calorie-posting bill last month. "The fight over fat is real," Kniss said. "I have serious concerns about the high percentage of people in this county who are overweight. I want to help them. And I can do this by offering a new tool to help them make informed choices when deciding what to order in a restaurant." In 2004, Kniss was successful in getting $7 million in federal funding for the Santa Clara County Steps program, a health-intervention plan for youth.

BONE UP ON HEALTH EDUCATION . . . Whether a career change is in the wind or a new skill is needed to address a medical challenge, Foothill College Winter Quarter 2008 courses may prove helpful. Course choices include: Orientation to Health Careers, Mobility and Fitness for the Disabled, Communication Skills for the Disabled, Adaptive Learning: Transition to Work, and others. Classes start Jan. 7. Registration deadline for both new and continuing students is Jan. 6. Register at www.foothill.edu.

WHAT MOTHER NEVER TAUGHT . . . Women's Health @ Stanford will present What our Mothers Never Taught Us: Changes in Female Sexual Function Throughout the Lifespan on Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Arrillaga Alumni Center, 326 Galvez St., Stanford University. Topics include female sexual dysfunction, female sexual function changes during pregnancy, the postpartum period, peri- and post-menopause and treatments. Speaker is Leah Millheiser, M.D., instructor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University Medical Center. Free. To register call 650-725-0455.

Health Notes is a monthly feature announcing health and fitness events and news. Send news to Health & Fitness Editor Sue Dremann at sdremann@paweekly.com.