East Peoria residents looking to check their heart health can now test their blood pressure through the Fondulac District Library.
The library has been provided with two blood pressure monitor kits through the American Heart Association’s “Libraries with Heart” program.
“They came to us and told us more about their program and asked if we’d be interested in partnering with them,” said library director Genna Buhr. “They’ve established this program in other states as well, and now they’re working on Illinois. I believe we’re one of the first ones in Central Illinois to have it.”
With no appointment needed, library card holders can go to the Richland Street facility adjacent to East Peoria City Hall to get access to the blood pressure monitors. Along with the testing devices, the kits include information about how to track blood pressure numbers and recommendations for how to live heart healthy lives.
“They also provide the referrals to local folks, so if they take their blood pressure and see that they’re in a state of need to address that, there’s is referrals as well,” said Buhr. “Our job is just to make sure that it’s accessible.
“Libraries, that’s what we’re about. We’re about providing access, and we’re a great community located place for that. So, our portion of the partnership is to learn about it, promote it to the community, and making sure that folks have access.”
One of the two monitors can be checked out and taken home for a one-week loan period; that length may be extended with a one-week renewal as long as there’s no one else waiting for it. The other monitor must be used at the library.
Laura Warren-Roberts, the library’s adult services manager, said the monitors are very user-friendly.
“When you check it out, it will come with the monitor, the cuff — and there’s an extra-large cuff with it as well,” said Warren-Roberts. “It also comes with a binder with all of the information that you need. You literally just put it on and push the button. It’s very simple.”
According to the heart association, high blood pressure is a leading cause of death in Illinois and the U.S., with hypertension known to lead to other health issues such as strokes or heart attacks.
“These devices make it easy and accessible for our community members to monitor their blood pressure,” said Kaitlin McVey, development director at the American Heart Association in Peoria.
The library’s blood pressure monitors serve as a way to help East Peoria’s large population of senior citizens and others who may also live on a fixed income access one measure of health care.
“A lot of people have blood pressure issues in America, and it may not be easy for them to get to a place that they can check on that sort of thing without having to make a doctor’s appointment, and then there’s money involved and things like that,” said Warren-Roberts.
“We offer a free way that people can come in when we’re open — we have a wide variety of hours. So it does go back to that access: We’re providing access for people to be able to track their own health and hopefully get help that they need if they do need it.”
Buhr said the devices have been available for about a month, adding they’ve been pretty popular, particularly the take-home kit.
“Even if someone wanted to come check that one out and it wasn’t immediately available, they still have the ability to use the one that stays here in the library,” she said. “They can do that either at a chair or they can take it into a study room, and review the booklet that comes with it, and see how they are that day.”
Buhr said while the check-out monitor is not available through their delivery system with other libraries, anyone holding a local library card is welcome to use the Fondulac library’s kits.
Warren-Roberts said if the program gains popularity, they’re open to the idea of getting additional monitors.
“Since it’s a new program, we’ll definitely be tracking how often the things are used, and if the demand is high enough, we will look into providing more to the community,” she said.
