It’s frightening when a health professional diagnoses you with heart failure. For most people, the words “heart failure” bring on fears of an imminent death. But once you realize the diagnosis doesn’t mean your heart to going to stop beating immediately, you need to learn skills to better manage your condition and you may also want to connect with others who have the same problem.

If so, a series of five free classes known as “The Beat Goes On” will be offered by Waldo County General Hospital on Thursdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. beginning April 25. These classes will be held in the second floor conference room at 125 Northport Ave.(the new green-roofed building across from the hospital).

The five classes and the instructors are:

•  April 25: You can do this: Self-Management Skills for Living Well  with Heart Failure by Deb Czuchra, the Nurse Practitioner in the cardiology office;

•  May 2: Ahhh: Managing the Stress of Heart Failure by Jo-Ann Whiting RN, the hospital’s case manager;

•  May 9: Pills and Me: Understanding the World of Heart Failure by Nancy Nystrom, a pharmacist at the hospital;

•  May 16: Eating Well with Heart Failure: Get the Low Down on Salt by Jen Nelson, Registered Dietician at the hospital; and

•  May 23: Pump it Up: Exercising with Heart Failure by Teri Blackadar RN.

While the course is free, space is limited so register early by calling Barbara Crowley at 930-2650 or emailing her at bcrowley@wcgh.org.