WHAT:  Florida Hospital DeLand’s Sleep Disorders Center has formed a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Support Group for Sleep Apnea sufferers, their friends and family members.

WHEN:   The first meeting will be held on Thursday, January 24 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information about the support group, contact the Sleep Disorders Center at (386) 943-4777 or visit www.fhdeland.org.

WHERE:  Classrooms ABC at Florida Hospital DeLand
701 West Plymouth Avenue, DeLand, FL.  

WHY: The CPAP Support Group will have its first meeting in order to evaluate community and patient interest in the support group. Sleep Apnea is a very real, life-threatening condition that affects patients, their friends and family members. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine sleep disorders can cause unrefreshing, fragmented sleep, morning headaches, increased heart rate, fluctuating oxygen levels, mood changes, impaired concentration, increased risk of stroke and increased risk of being involved in a deadly motor vehicle accident.

Patients diagnosed with Sleep Apnea often become frustrated with CPAP machines and stop using them when problems with equipment are minor and could be adjusted easily. This support group will provide a forum for the growing number of patients, their families and friends and for those who suspect they have Sleep Apnea.
    
Florida Hospital DeLand, located at 701 West Plymouth Avenue in DeLand, was established in 1962 and is a 156-bed acute-care hospital. Florida Hospital DeLand is a part of the Adventist Health System; the largest Protestant not-for-profit hospital system in the nation and works to provide exceptional, patient-focused care to the DeLand community. For more information about Florida Hospital DeLand visit www.fhdeland.org.