Health

As part of the Wellness in Windham Spring 2015 calendar, BMH urologist Craig Rinder, MD, will present a program on Monday, April 13 at 6:00 PM in the Brew Barry Conference Center. His topic of discussion will be kidney stones.

“Kidney stones are notorious for being painful. The feeling has been described as being worse than childbirth labor pains,” says Dr. Rinder. “More than a million kidney stones are diagnosed in the United States each year. About 1 in 10 Americans will suffer from a kidney stone at some point.”

The Windham County Community Health Needs Assessment  Steering Committee is seeking to hear directly from community members, and is conducting an assessment through a survey that is open throughout the month of March.

The survey gives an opportunity to hear from a larger portion of the community (from as many who wish to participate).

The .

At this free class, Senior Solutions staff will provide unbiased information about the Medicare system. Medicare has strict enrollment periods, and this session will help  participants make timely decisions about drug plans and supplemental plans as well as many other issues.

This class is appropriate for those who are currently enrolled in Medicare, as well as anyone who will be signing up in the near future. Family members who help elders may also find this class useful. Space is limited, so please call ahead to register. There is no fee, but donations are appreciated.

To register or get more information, call the Senior HelpLine at 1-800-642-5119.

A new Six-Week Bereavement Support Group for adults begins on Thursday April 9th and will meet each Thursday from 4:30-6:00 pm, ending May 14th.

The group is free of charge and open to anyone in the community grieving the death loss of a loved one, no matter when or where the loss occurred. Bereavement Support Groups offer a safe, mutually supportive environment for sharing experiences through discussion, readings, simple activities, and suggestions for moving through grief.

This group is sponsored by Brattleboro Area Hospice and will meet at the hospice office at 191 Canal St. in Brattleboro. No prior connection with hospice is required in order to participate. Connie Baxter, Bereavement Care Coordinator will be the facilitator. The group size is limited to 8 people.

What Do Advance Care Directives have to do with Being a  Local Citizen?  

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast Invitation

The next Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast is planned for Friday, March 20, 2015 at the Gibson Aiken Center, downstairs, hosted by Senior Meals. Doors open at 7:30am.

What Do Advance Care Directives have to do with Being a  Local Citizen?

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast                                                      

February 20,  2015  •  Gibson-Aiken Center                                                                                                                                                                 

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced that Craig Rinder, MD, will join , effective March 2, 2015.

When the transition is complete, Dr. Rinder’s current practice, known as Craig Rinder, MD, LLC, will be called BMH Urology. Its offices will still be located at 375 Canal Street in Brattleboro, Vermont. The new phone number for making appointments will be 802-251-8720.

Dr. Rinder has been practicing urology in Vermont and New Hampshire for over 17 years. His practice provides medical and surgical care for illnesses involving the male and female urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra), the adrenal glands and the male reproductive tract.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, the , and are launching a new community health needs assessment (CHNA) to engage the communities they serve and learn more about the most pressing health care concerns and needs. Based on the data that the hospitals gather, each hospital will develop an implementation strategy to address prioritized health care needs. This CHNA is also an opportunity for hospitals to maintain compliance with federal regulations.

The three health care organizations are working collaboratively to gather information by conducting focus groups, developing and disseminating a short survey to the general public, and collecting and analyzing quantitative data. The Vermont Department of Health is providing population based indicators as part of the process.

Quieting one’s mind can often feel like an overwhelming task. During this half-day workshop, participants will learn simple yet effective ways to quiet the busy mind, also known as the “Monkey Mind”. Through the practice of Qigong we will gradually let go of the limits of our acquired self and open up to the infinite experience of our true nature. Participants will leave with a renewed and empowered sense of health and well-being.

Qigong consists of simple movements and breathing practices that relax the physical body, calm the mind and raise the spirit. It is an excellent form of preventative healthcare, and also used in treating major illnesses and minor ailments.

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast Invitation

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Center for Wound Healing

The next Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast is planned for Friday, February 20, 2015 at the Gibson Aiken Center, downstairs, hosted by Senior Meals. Doors open at 7:30am.

Tai Chi Chuan (Taiji Quan) otherwise known as Supreme Ultimate Boxing, is an ancient form of martial art that has been practiced for both health and self defense. It can be practiced for recreation, and to increase strength, flexibility, balance well into old age. Tai Chi Chuan is not performed in the same manner as most western calisthenics or sports. It requires a tremendous amount of mental and physical concentration and control. Tai Chi Chuan is often described as a moving meditation. After practice, one feels invigorated, clear-minded, and peaceful.
 

In my early twenties during the 1970’s I made a conscious decision to go to bed hungry most nights. My cutoff evening eating time was by 6 pm, not later than 7 pm. And, most nights I did indeed experience the growling of an empty stomach. Before long, I anticipated the feeling of being (really) hungry which I associated with a healthy outlook.My deliberate nightly hunger strike was based on my instinct that it was good for me.

Each morning I woke up looking forward to a hardy breakfast and good eats throughout the day…until 6 pm. Throughout my adulthood, it is a practice I continue to this day.

Qigong – “Quietness as Medicine”

Qigong is one of the best practices to help relax the physical body and calm the overactive mind. The simple movements induce a calm, meditative state that relaxes the mind, improves one’s health, and raises the spirit. It is also an excellent form of preventative healthcare while treating major illnesses and minor ailments.

During this half-day workshop participants will explore the profound benefits and insights of diving deeper into “Quietness as Medicine”. Be prepared to be guided into an experience of profound relaxation, while opening up to the truth of who you really are.

Putney Family Healthcare, a BMH Physician Group member, is undergoing renovations to expand its 79 Main Street facility. Practice officials state that this expansion is in response to a growing demand for medical care in the service area, which includes Putney, Dummerston, Westminster and Saxtons River.

GPI Construction began work on the expansion in November, which will create four additional exam rooms as well as increase office space for administrative staff. BMH Director of Plant Services Rob Prohaska is working with Joe Fortier of GPI to manage the project, which is expected to be completed March 1, 2015.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced that its Director of Emergency Services, Brian Richardson, has been elected Co-Chair of the Vermont Hospital Emergency Preparedness Coordinator (VTHEPC) Committee.

Richardson joins Co-Chair Chris Lackney of in Townshend and Secretary John Berino from in Burlington as leaders of the VTHEPC committee, which is comprised of emergency preparedness coordinators from 14 participating Vermont hospitals and the state department of health.

I ran across a recent discovery.com article about King Tut’s virtual reconstruction. Using 2,000 computerized tomography (CT) scans of the pharaoh’s body to conduct a “virtual autopsy” an image is “built” that shows Tutankhamun naked except for wearing a loincloth.Looking directly into the “camera,” he looks as if he is posing for the picture.

The reconstructed photo shows him standing holding a cane to support his club foot. At first, I thought something was odd about the image. Tutankhamun’s damaged foot is his left foot, but contrary to my expectation he is holding the cane in his right hand.

The Annual Meeting of the Southern Vermont Health Services Corporation and its subsidiary, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) held on November 14, 2014 featured special guests, key topics, and various recognitions.

Keynote speaker , Founding Member, Vermont Green Mountain Care Board and Adjunct Professor, Dept. Community & Family Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, discussed the evolution of the US health care delivery system and the population health approach to improving the health of communities.

I just got notice that, unfortunately Hotel Pharmacy will no longer be a part of my insurance prescription network. I’ve been a customer there for 8 years and now need to find a new pharmacy. Does anyone know if there are any other pharmacies in town that offer delivery service?

BMH Physician Group announces the addition of Nancy J. Redfield, RN, MS, ARNP, BC to its Post-Acute Care Services.

Redfield will work with Eric Pofcher, MD to provide direct care for patients from the time of discharge from Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, or another acute care facility, to admission at a skilled nursing facility. Their duties include managing medical problems in post-acute medical episode recovery, stabilizing chronic conditions and supporting decisions for individualized end-of-life care.

BMH Physician Group announced that Amanda J. Hepler, MD and Jeff Meckling, PA-C, have joined and are accepting patients.

A graduate of Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Dr. Hepler served her family medicine residency at Latrobe Family Medicine in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.