Lori Hicks Previews Food for Thought and Caregiver Connection at Bath Community Hospital Published

Lori Hicks, Director of Community Impact and Population Health at Bath Community Hospital, joined me to talk about two upcoming events focused on wellness, caregiving, and community connection.

Hicks has been a guest before, and over the years those conversations have often centered on the same basic idea: health is not just what happens when someone gets sick. It is also what happens before that moment — in the habits people build, the resources they can reach, and the relationships that help hold a community together.

The first event is Food for Thought, scheduled for Friday, May 22, from noon to 4 p.m. at Bath Community Hospital. The event falls on the last day of school for Bath County students, who will have an early release that day.

Hicks said Food for Thought is designed to highlight the connection between food, health, agriculture, nutrition, and mental wellness.

“Nutrition plays a vital role in mental health and overall wellness,” Hicks said, noting that a balanced diet can affect mood, cognitive function, and emotional well-being.

The event is also part of the hospital’s broader Food is Medicine initiative, which focuses on addressing health needs and disparities through proper nutrition. For Hicks, the event is about more than one afternoon. It is about helping people see the relationship between what they eat, how they feel, and the support systems available to them.

A number of local and regional partners will be part of the event, including Bath County Parks and Recreation, The BEAR, Highland Children’s House, the Alleghany Highlands YMCA, Rockbridge Area Community Services, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the Bath Community Physicians Group Behavioral Health Team.

Visitors will also have the chance to meet members of the hospital’s behavioral health team, take part in activities, and enjoy offerings like Homestead Creamery ice cream, balloons, temporary tattoos, and other family-friendly features.

A mini farmers market will also be set up on the back parking lot of the hospital. Hicks mentioned Apple Horse Farm, the Virginia Beef Council, Num Num, and Endless Holler Farms as part of the local food and agriculture presence connected to the event. She also thanked Kari Sponaugle with Virginia Cooperative Extension for helping organize that portion of the day.

One of the most important parts of the conversation came when Hicks explained why the event matters to the hospital itself.

“What we are most excited about at the hospital is that we have an opportunity to see the community when they’re well and happy, and not just when they’re sick,” she said.

In rural communities, strength and independence are often treated as virtues, and they are. But they can also make it harder for people to ask for help. Events like Food for Thought create a lower-pressure way for people to come through the door, meet providers, learn something useful, and connect with neighbors.

Hicks also previewed the next Caregiver Connection event, which takes place on the third Wednesday of each month. The upcoming session will feature bingo, pizza, and a presentation on elder law.

The event is held in partnership with ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice and supports caregivers throughout the area. Hicks said this month’s featured speaker will be Jeanne Hepler of Collins & Hepler, PLLC, who will discuss topics that often become urgent for families before they feel ready: Medicaid eligibility, estate planning, long-term care planning, nursing home issues, veterans’ pension, wills, advance directives, and protecting property before a crisis arrives.

Those conversations can be uncomfortable, but they are necessary. Families often wait until they are already under pressure before asking legal and financial questions about aging, caregiving, and long-term care. Caregiver Connection gives people a place to begin those conversations before the emergency.

“We all should be looking ahead,” Hicks said, “on how to protect your property and to be prepared.”

The larger message from both events is simple: community health is not one thing. It is food, mental health, caregiving, prevention, planning, and connection. It is also the willingness of local organizations to work together before people fall through the cracks.

Food for Thought will be held Friday, May 22, from noon to 4 p.m. at Bath Community Hospital. The hospital’s Bistro will be open during normal operating hours, with partners and exhibitors set up in the Bistro Lobby area and the mini farmers market located near the back parking lot.

Caregiver Connection takes place the third Wednesday of each month, with the upcoming session focused on elder law, planning, and caregiver support.

Bath Community Hospital is a business supporter of Allegheny Mountain Radio.

For Allegheny Mountain Radio, I’m Danny Cardwell.