Living

On April 10, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital hosted a dedication ceremony of BMH’s new lobby in honor of long-time Brattleboro residents Roland and Harriet Fisher.

The new “Roland and Harriet Fisher Lobby” recognizes the couple’s final and generous gift in support of BMH’s $3.5 million “Doorway to Exceptional Care” Capital Campaign for the new Emergency Department and front entrance at the hospital.

The guests were welcomed by BMH Board Chairman Peter Carvell. Following brief remarks about the renovation and the improved facilities, BMH President and CEO Steven R. Gordon, introduced the featured speaker Arthur Magnaghi.

On April 21, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital will be hosting an educational program entitled, “Conversations about Dementia,” designed to help community members talk about some challenging and often uncomfortable topics.

Presented by Maggie Lewis, MPA, LNHA, director of programs and services for the Vermont Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, this program will clarify many of the signs and resources, and clearly outline what steps can be taken.

“Many in our community confront issues with Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” says Lewis. “Often, we are unsure of seeing the signs of dementia and what steps need to be taken to plan for its occurrence.”

On Monday, April 7, at 7:00 p.m., local author and women’s health advocate Elayne Clift will be at Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro to read from and discuss her latest book, with Christine Morton, Birth Ambassadors: Doulas and the Re-emergence of Woman-supported Birth in America.

Published by Praeclarus Press in January, the book about women who offer physical and emotional support to birthing mothers, is already garnering rave reviews. Clift, a volunteer doula at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s Birth Center, will be joined by doula Carol Schnabel, volunteer coordinator of the Doula Program at the hospital, and a contributor to the book.

This spring, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is offering three self-management workshops to give individuals new tools to deal with chronic health issues and live a fuller, healthier life. All of the workshops are free and open to the public.

Two of the workshops are being offered in collaboration with the Brattleboro Senior Center. The first program, Healthier Living, will take place from April 15 to May 20. The second program, Healthier Living with Chronic Pain, will happen June 3 to July 8. Both workshops will meet from 9:30 AM to 12 PM every Tuesday for six weeks at the Gibson-Aiken Center.

The Healthcare deadline is today! So I hear on the radio.

As both a taxpayer and small business owner, I’ve received no written information about the Affordable Care Act. I get mail from the IRS and from the State of Vermont about all sorts of things, but not once has any information about any changes to laws regarding healthcare come my way. Not even a postcard with a website address.