Rising Suicide Rate Stirs Cape - Barnstable County Human Services

Transcription

VOL. XXII NO. 4 • Fall 2014
SUPPLEMENT TO THE CAPE CODDER, THE REGISTER, HARWICH ORACLE, BOURNE ENTERPRISE, BOURNE COURIER, THE BULLETIN, FALMOUTH ENTERPRISE,
MASHPEE ENTERPRISE, SANDWICH BROADSIDER, SANDWICH ENTERPRISE, WAREHAM COURIER
Rising Suicide Rate Stirs Cape
By Larry Fox
The recent death of Robin Williams presents at least
two ironies: The first, of course, the tragic clown. Second, the combination of the actor’s celebrity and the
grisly accounts of his demise have succeeded in bringing the growing problem of suicide out of the shadows
into the arena of public discourse. (Just check the number of references in the leads of our related stories!)
It is a national problem, where there were 40,000
deaths by suicide in 2011 (the most recent statistic
available) compared to 16,000 deaths by homicide.
Massachusetts may have one of the lowest suicide
Chart courtesy of Barnstable County Dept. of Human Services
rates in the country. But it is a growing problem on
the Cape, where in Barnstable County the number
of suicides has doubled in the decade between 2000
and 2011 to represent the highest rate in state and 1.4
times higher than the state average. The 320 suicides
outpaced homicides by a 6-to-1 ratio.
These figures were presented by Jessica McHugh,
co-chair of the Cape and Islands Suicide Prevention
Coalition as she set the table for a full discussion of
the Advisory Board of To Your Good Health, A Health
Care Newsletter, at Cape Cod Community College.
“But it’s really all about the people behind the statistics. They feel the only way to stop their pain is to
go over a cliff. They don’t think about landing on the
bottom, just that this is one way to get ‘somebody to
notice my pain,’” she said, “But suicide is preventable
and we try to educate the community with a basic
course stressing the need to communicate and to listen and notice the early warning signs.”
The growth in our suicide rates has placed a strain
on local treatment facilities, according to Debbie Ciavola, executive director of Cape Cod Healthcare’s Centers for Behavioral Health. “We don’t have enough
services here and what we do have is booked up. Plus
there’s a limited number of psychiatrists as well,” she
said, also citing the lack of state funding and the frustrating search for outside grants.
Exacerbating the situation…and more disturbing,
BE SEEING YOU SOON? Could Cheryl Bartlett, Cape
resident and Commissioner of the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health, be tipping off friends
that she soon would become Executive Director of
the Cape Cod Regional Substance Abuse Prevention
Initiative and Public Health? This photo was taken
August 14 when she participated in ribbon-cutting
ceremony for Harbor Community Health CenterHyannis’s new digs on Attucks Lane. (Full story of
Ms. Bartlett’s appointment appears on page 2.)
WE REMEMBER: With the flag in the background
symbolically at half staff, County Commissioner
Sheila Lyons assists one of the survivors to attach
ribbons to the string of remembrance for the third
year in recognition of National Suicide Prevention Week September 11 before a special meeting
of the Cape and Islands Suicide Prevention Coalition at the Barnstable County Courthouse. The 21
yellow ribbons represent memory of those lost to
suicide, the 14 blue and purple versions represent
prevention and a message of hope. And each year,
they report, the number of ribbons and ceremony
participants has increased. Inset, County Commissioner Bill Doherty delivering a moving memoir of
his own two sons lost to suicide.
she added, is “the growing numbers of children and
adolescents in need of treatment due to increasing
stress and lack of self-esteem.”
Dr. Herbert Mathewson, a pediatrician and Medical
Director of the VNA of Cape Cod (and the medical adviser of this newsletter), agrees. “Adolescents uniquely struggle with their sexual identity in high school.
There must be separate support groups just for them...
and safe places as well.”
Unstable families also create problems for children,
he added, and one of the questions pediatricians have
to ask is, “Are there any guns in the house? Because
suicide is an impulse and they have to be put in a safe
place where children can’t get to them.”
“And keep the bullets separate,” Ms. McHugh
chimed in, adding, “It’s interesting that (in suicides)
young people attempt more, seniors complete more.”
Alcohol also can be a factor, according to Liz Smith,
a nursing facility administrator, citing the incident of
a young man in middle school in the emergency room
after his second failed suicide attempt who was told
by the physician there, “If you keep on with alcohol
you will die.”
She added, “He had to hit bottom, but his friends
rescued him.”
Geri Medeiros, special programs coordinator at
Cape Cod Community College, noted “We see a lot of
problems in the college. Social media is a big problem,
there’s the question of sexual identity and there’s al-
ways depression. They want to be like the others. And
then there’s always the problem that they get on medication, feel better and say they don’t need them any
more…until they go down again.
“Plus,” she suggested, “it pays to look more closely
at those single car ‘accidents.’”
Cheryl Osimo, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, has a unique perspective.
“Women when first diagnosed with breast cancer
often are in shock. They feel a sense of hopelessness.”
she said. “Rather than enduring the journey to wellness, they think it would be better for them and their
Continued on page 4
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2 TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH, A Health Care Newsletter Fall 2014
Keating Proposal Addresses Medicare Abuse
By Congressman Bill Keating
As the Representative for the 9th
District of Massachusetts, which is
home to the largest population of
senior citizens in the Commonwealth, I understand the unique
challenges that many within our
senior community face. I have
heard time and time again that one
of their concerns is that the services they rely on, such
as Medicare, remain robust and available to those
who need them.
One such way is by eliminating fraud and abuse
that, sadly, is still present within the Medicare system.
For this reason I was proud to introduce legislation
that, if passed, would close important loopholes in existing Medicare law.
This Fighting Medicare Fraud Act (H.R. 5340) specifically would close a loophole that allows CEOs and
parent corporations to defraud Medicare even after
they were caught and punished for earlier fraudulent
activity.
Current law allows the Health and Human Services
Office of The Inspector General to exclude from the
Medicare system those companies and officials convicted of fraud.
Now, due to an oversight in the existing law, we
cannot exclude an official who resigned or was terminated before a conviction. Therefore, the official
can then join a new company and potentially resume
fraudulent activities. Should H.R. 5340 be signed into
law, this loophole would be closed, and we would be
able to exclude such an individual from reentering the
Medicare program, an obvious safeguard against future fraudulent activities.
The bill also would add a new penalty for stealing
or selling a Medicare ID number. Under current law,
Capitol Hill UPDATE
there is no specific federal offense for participating
in this type of activity, even though many fraudulent Medicare activities involve illegal distribution
of Medicare ID numbers. Under this proposed law, a
new penalty of up to 15 years in prison would be established for selling or stealing a Medicare ID number, which would greatly assist authorities in cracking
down on criminals who target seniors.
Finally, H.R. 5340 would require Medicare Advantage and prescription drug organizations to report
fraud and abuse, something that is currently not required.
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Medicare is one of the most important programs
created by our federal government. Our seniors have
worked hard and made sacrifices to ensure a better,
stronger country for future generations and they deserve a secure and stable Medicare program.
The Fighting Medicare Fraud Act is an important
step toward ensuring that the health care system that
they’ve earned remains strong for those who rely on it
in their daily lives.
(Congressman Keating (D-MA) represents the
Cape & Islands and South Shore 9th District)
100 Rosebrook Way
Wareham, MA 02571
508-273-4900
Bartlett To Lead
Cape’s Anti-Drug
Abuse Group
With the impending end of the Deval Patrick
administration, Department of Public Health,
Commissioner Cheryl Bartlett is returning to
the Cape as Executive Director of the Cape Cod
Regional Substance Abuse Prevention Initiative
(CCRSAPI) and Public Health.
She will be employed by Cape Cod Healthcare
to lead the conglomerate of health and humans
services groups launched in March.
Ms. Bartlett was named to lead the DPH in
2013. She will leave that post December 12 and
will begin her new role two days later after a weekend hiatus to catch her breath.
Ms. Bartlett has worked in the public health
arena throughout her career and was the first person with a background in nursing to lead the state
public health agency. While at DPH, she helped
draft the state’s new medical marijuana regulations
and was instrumental in developing a childhood
obesity campaign called Mass in Motion. She has
an associate’s degree in nursing from Quinnipiac
College, and a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from Stonehill College.
Before taking the state position, Ms. Bartlett
helped establish many programs and initiatives at
the Community Action Council in Hyannis.
“Cheryl’s knowledge and expertise in the public health field make her eminently qualified to
lead this important Substance Abuse Prevention
initiative,” said Michael K. Lauf, President and
CEO of CCHC. “With her local and state experience, she has had a chance to see the full spectrum
of this issue, and I’m confident she will bring new
energy, ideas and contacts to help solve this problem that is so dangerously afflicting our region.”
As the Cape’s primary healthcare system, CCHC
is providing the resources to launch the CCRSAPI
by hiring a name leader, but Mr. Lauf added that
the ultimate goal is to involve the entire community and make it self-sustaining.
“I look forward to leading this important Initiative,” Ms. Bartlett said. “As Governor Patrick
gets ready to transition out of office, this is a great
opportunity for me to return to the Cape and to
take what I have learned in my work on a state
and national level to address the opiate prescription and heroin crisis.”
The new Cape initiative grew out of a February meeting where several organizations discussed
possible solutions to the regional substance abuse
crisis.
In addition to Cape Cod Healthcare, these included the Barnstable County Human Services Department, the Kelley Foundation, the Palmer and
Jane D. Davenport Foundation, and Gosnold on
Cape Cod.
Their goals are to:
Develop a regional, community-based approach to reduce substance abuse among young
Cape Codders through education and prevention
programs;
Identify and implement education and prevention activities to address the use and abuse of
a range of substances, focusing on prescription
painkillers and opiates;
Launch and expand collaborations among
community partners, including schools, families,
youth organizations, law enforcement, public
health advocates, civic leaders, the business community, and private philanthropy.
Fall 2014
TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH, A Health Care Newsletter3
New Technology Making Braille Trail
Even More Of A Joy For Cape Codders
Thanks to what can only be described as an improbable confluence of outside and local forces, the
natural wonders of the Johnny A. Kelley Recreation
Area Braille Trail in Dennis now have become even
more accessible to its visually impaired visitors.
It all began when Liz Myska, an attorney in Worcester, read a reprint in her local paper of an article concerning the innovative Low Vision Support Service
program recently installed at The Cove at Thirwood
Place Assisted Living in South Yarmouth.
Ms. Myska, an advocate for the visually impaired
who serves on the state Commission for the Blind—and
herself has developing vision problems—was struck by
some of the technology now available for the first time
in New England for Thirwood Place residents.
One of these was the ability of so-called Smart
Phones to read text and repeat it out loud for the edification of the visually impaired. This, she learned, includes the raised dots of Braille.
She’d been to Cape Cod, was familiar with the
Braille Trail and realized how this new technology
would make its wonders even more accessible to the
visually impaired.
The next step was to track down the developer of
this particular technology, Peacock Communications,
Inc. in Marietta, Georgia, just outside Atlanta.
Jack Peacock, who holds the patent, realized the
promotional advantages that could accrue from of
having his technology on display in such a public NOW HEAR THIS: The new device translating Braille descriptions into voice messages through any smart
place and agreed to donate his LaunchGuide technol- phone (circled) occupies the attention (from left) of Jack Peacock, the Atlanta inventor; Attorney Liz
ogy to the town of Dennis for the Braille Trail.
Myska of Worcester, an advocate counsellor who expedited the connection that brought this innovation
Actually, it’s all pretty simple, once you’ve come to the Cape; Brian Kennedy, Brewster coordinator of a sight loss support group; and Cynthia Stead, Execuup with the codes. At various stations along the Trail, tive Director of Sight Loss Services, Inc.
a wooden frame is attached to the descriptive signage
already in place at the various stations. The coded
message is pasted on…and then there’s a simple wire commercial uses for his device. “You can see its utility tion. “But with this device you can go to what you
frame to hold the visitor’s smart phone at the correct in grocery stores…in museums…on walking trails,” he want to see, it’s self-guided, not like those other guides
that you must follow,” Ms. Stead points out.
distance. Turn it on…and listen. If weather or vandal- points out.
Many museums do have programs that verbally
Allowing the visitor the most priceless gift of all,
ism harms the coded message, you just paste on an
guide
visually
impaired
visitors
from
station
to
staindependence.
inexpensive replacement!
The next step was to
involve Sight Loss Services and its executive
director, Cynthia Stead.
They’ve just opened
new offices on Route
134 in South Dennis
(where,
incidentally,
they stock many of the
innovative devices being used at Thirwood
Place and they’re available at cost) and she
A Self-Help Human Service Organization
carried the ball before
the Dennis Board of
OF and FOR
Selectmen. She made
an offer they couldn’t
The Newly Blind
refuse.
Are you a senior or do you
Mr. Peacock would
The Visually Handicapped &
donate the equipment,
have a senior family member
People with Progressive Eye Disease
Sight
Loss
Services
struggling with low vision?
would be responsible
for all maintenance.
The advantages of
The new innovative residential
the new technology are
striking.
program at the Cove at Thirwood
As Ms. Stead exPlace Assisted Living is designed to
plains, “Actually, very
few people can read
help seniors with low vision.
Braille, perhaps 2 perLearn practical living techniques in a
cent of those who are
visually impaired. And
supportive environment.
this is particularly true
Residences well-equipped with the latest in
of older people, such
as make up most of our
assistive tools and technology.
population, who be900 Route 134, Towne Plaza
come vision-impaired
Professional specially trained staff available
South Dennis, MA 02660
late in life. They may
at all times to assist in solving challenges and
not read Braille, but
provide support.
(Exit 9B off the Mid-Cape Highway)
they do have smart
phones.”
Scribe services, support groups.
Mr. Peacock says his
Tel: 508-394-3904
technology can include
To learn more call 508-398-8006
Or
much more informaor visit thirwoodplace.com.
tion than would fit in
800-427-6842
the standard Braille
message. And, he adds,
people can feel their
P.O. Box 241, South Dennis, 02660
way to set the phone
into the bracket.
Mr. Peacock sees
Sight Loss
Services, Inc.
NEW ADDRESS!
LOW VISION
SUPPORT SERVICES
FOR SENIORS
Treating Physical And Mental Ills
A Key Tool In Suicide Prevention
By Karen L. Gardner
All too often it takes a high profile event to bring attention to a
longstanding problem. The death by suicide of Robin
Williams is just such an example. Following this tragic
event, people are wondering, if it could happen to
him, someone who seemingly had it all, could it happen to me or someone I love?
Research cited by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) reveals that many people who
die by suicide have an underlying medical, mental
health, or substance abuse issue. In fact, “psychological autopsies”, which are interviews with family, close
friends, and others who were in close contact with a
person who died by suicide, indicate that 90 percent
had a mental health disorder—primarily depression—
that was not diagnosed or adequately treated at the
time of their death.
Patients with a medical condition such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, lupus, or traumatic brain injury are at
higher risk for suicide. Experts suggest that this is due
to feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and a desire
for control over death. The AFSP reports that increased
frailty and likelihood of illness is a contributing factor
to suicide in older adults.
At Community Health Center of Cape Cod we
make a particular effort to help patients who may be
We Are COMMUNITY
at risk for suicide. As a medical home, that means caring for the whole person. Caregivers focus not only on
patients’ medical health, but their mental well-being.
Primary care providers are trained to recognize signs
of a mental health disorder and, in many cases, provide treatment for that condition within the primary
care setting. Or, if more appropriate, connect the patient immediately with a behavioral health clinician.
It is important, though, to understand that it is not
just about depression and mental health, but about
resiliency, ability to cope, and social supports or lack
thereof. A sense of connectedness is an important protective factor for suicide and that is what CHC strives
to provide patients and the community.
Outside the walls of CHC, our Youth Suicide Prevention Project actively addresses the threat of suicide
in our region. It provides education for youth, families, education and human service professionals, and
emergency responders on how to recognize someone
at risk and intervene appropriately. When a death by
suicide occurs, assistance in the form of support and
education is provided to those who are most impacted. It’s all part of a broad coalition on the Cape and
Islands dedicated to raising awareness of suicide and
increasing activities to prevent it.
(Ms. Gardner is Chief Executive Officer of the
Community Health Center of Cape Cod with facilities
in Mashpee, Falmouth and Bourne, 508-477-7090;
they recommend that if you or anyone you know
needs help regarding suicide, call the Samaritans at
1-800-893-9900 or the DMH Crisis Line at 1-800322-1356.)
Serious Illness Can Trigger Depression, Suicide
By Melissa Weidman
The recent death of actor Robin
Williams provoked a national conversation about suicide, mental
illness and depression. When his
widow Susan Schneider revealed
a few days later that the beloved
comedian had been in the early stages of Parkinson’s
disease, the conversation broadened.
How does receiving a diagnosis of serious illness
impact one’s mental health? Though it’s difficult to
second-guess what was going on for Robin Williams
himself, there are general issues that can shed light on
the complexity of dealing with such a diagnosis.
hope.
WHERE WOULD WE BE
WITHOUT IT?
For those facing serious illness or loss,
hope is here. We’re focused on meeting
the needs of the seriously ill and their
families — dedicated to touching lives
in so many ways.
(508) 957-0200
•
HopeHealthCo.org
HOSPICE | PALLIATIVE CARE | HOUSECALLS
DEMENTIA & ALZHEIMER’S SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE | CARE FOR KIDS
Formerly Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod
Jerry Levin, former chairman of Time-Warner, was
inspired by Ms. Schneider’s revelation to disclose that
he himself had been suffering from Parkinson’s for
the past decade. In a recent interview he commented,
“One of the telltale signs of Parkinson’s is this chilling phrase called Bland Effect…your facial expression
begins to dissolve…it’s almost blank and it’s quite
noticeable…Once the diagnosis is given, there is an
enormous psychological shift and you tend to view
the world from that prism. It is so hard to distinguish
what’s normal anymore, what’s Parkinsonian.”
This is just one of the many possible aspects of
functional loss that puts a mental strain on patients.
According to WebMD, about 40 percent of Parkinson’s
and Cystic Fibrosis patients and a third of those who
have heart attacks develop some form of depression.
And so do a quarter of cancer and diabetes patients.
Yet, mental health experts caution that depression
alone rarely causes suicide. Many other risk factors are
involved, including medication, substance abuse, family
history, past suicide attempts and other mood disorders.
According to a recent case study published in the
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry by Doctors Maytal Guy
and Theodore A. Stern of Massachusetts General Hospital, only a minority of patients with terminal illness
express a desire to hasten their own deaths. Yet those
with depression were four times more apt to express
such a desire as were two thirds of those with both
depression and hopelessness. Yet, specialists treating
serious illness often neglect to ask patients about their
mental state.
If a patient does express thoughts about hastening
death, it should be interpreted as a call for help. According to social worker Susan Fencer-Cote at HopeHealth’s
McCarthy Care Center, “We have seen patients who are
depressed and hopeless when they first come to us. But
as we manage their pain and make them more comfortable, those symptoms tend to abate. We also treat their
depression. Listening to them and validating their concerns can be helpful. And our interdisciplinary team
can explore spiritual and emotional questions that can
set their minds at ease.”
The Guy/Stern study noted that “spiritual well-being had a strong negative correlation with end-of-life
despair. In particular, the ability to find an overarching meaning—even at the end of life—was protective
against the development of hopelessness.”
But when hope fails, for whatever reason, it’s critical to seek help. As Ms. Schneider said, “It is our hope
in the wake of Robin’s tragic passing that others will
find the strength to seek the care and support they
need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they
may feel less afraid.”
(Ms. Weidman is Director of Community Relations and Outreach for HopeHealth, 508-957-0200
or Mweidman@HopeHealthCo.org.)
Royal Expands By Adding Cotuit Center
The Royal Health Group, founded in 1997, continues to extend its reach with the recent purchase of Royal of Cotuit, formerly the Mashpee Health Care Center.
This acquisition of a ninth skilled nursing facility
allows the family-owned Royal Health Group to extend its service area that also includes the southcoast
and southeastern Massachusetts.
James Mamary Sr., founder of Royal Health Group,
had 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry
when he decided to start his own company in 1997
with the purchase of the Royal Megansett Nursing and
Retirement Home in North Falmouth.
Three years later he purchased Royal Cape Cod
Nursing Center in Buzzards Bay, Royal Nursing Center Falmouth and Royal Taber Street Nursing Center in
New Bedford, followed by Royal Fairhaven, Royal Harwich Assisted Living, Royal Braintree Nursing Center
and Royal Norwell Nursing Center.
Suicide –
“Suicide in the elderly often comes from many years
of depression and primary care physicians don’t always recognize or treat depression in a timely fashion.
Two of my clients killed themselves after verbalizing
and attempting beforehand. The system often cannot
help these lost souls. Elders have so many comorbidities that contribute to their depression that their doctors must to look at the whole picture.” “The problem is anxiety or some form of depression, especially among those 35-40,” said Karen L.
Gardner, chief executive officer of Community Health
Center of Cape Cod, “And now we have another class
of those at risk, returning veterans. They don’t have
any one person they can confide in and we need to get
them into treatment. We’d like to do more.”
But we have come a long way.
Jim Lyons, retired founding CEO of Cape Cod
Healthcare, recalls, “When I first came here in the
mid-80s as President of Cape Cod Hospital, there were
no patient beds for mental health on Cape Cod, none.
They didn’t know how to deal with it…so they didn’t.
We were coming out of the dark ages back then.”
Continued
families to end their lives.
“Alternatively, at the end of life, many don’t want
their children to see them in that condition, or they worry about the impact on their significant other taking care
of the children. So they contemplate ending their life.”
Aging also creates suicidal feelings.
“Losing your job can be a factor,” said Sue Rohrbach, Senator Dan Wolf’s Cape District representative and a member of the Suicide Prevention Coalition Steering Committee. “But there is new legislation
(coming up) on mental health issues and a task force is
in place. We’re going at it from a lot of angles.”
“There also are mental health issues like depression
that come from facing the illnesses of aging,” added
Carole Stasiowski, marketing and communications director of Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod.
“People face decline…and Parkinson’s disease can be
very challenging…before they learn to deal with decline as part of the aging process.”
Carol Vigliano, a care management adviser, agrees,
Fall 2014
About Us
Editor and Publisher:
Larry Fox,
508-896-7683
Advertising Manager:
Dick Zeich,
508-760-2693
Website: www.toyourgoodhealth.com
e-mail: larry.fox@comcast.net
Website design: Wozzaworks,
508-945-5307 or warren@wozzaworks.com
Design & Production (print version):
KVH Graphic Design, 508-477-3396
Marketing & Promotion Consultant:
Marjorie Rafael 508-385-4773
Calendar Items: P.O. Box 918, Dennis, MA 02638;
508-896-7683 (Voice or FAX)
or e-mail larry.fox@comcast.net
Medical Adviser: Herbert O. Mathewson, M.D.
Advisory Board: Stephen L. Abbott;
Dr. John L. Cox; DeWitt Davenport;
Denise M. Dever; Jim Foley;
Karen L. Gardner; Herbert E. Gray, M.D.;
George R. Heufelder; Congressman William Keating;
Dianne Kolb; Michael K. Lauf; James F. Lyons; Herbert
O. Mathewson, M.D.; Senate President Therese Murray;
Cheryl Osimo; David W. Rehm; Gary Sheehan;
Raymond V. Tamasi; Representative Cleon Turner;
Carol Vigliano, Senator Dan Wolf, Andrew P. Young
William M. McDermott, M.D., emeritus
Arthur Bickford, M.D., emeritus
Advertising Director: Jane A. Cushman, 1992-2002
To Your Good Health, A Health Care Newsletter,
is an independent quarterly publication of Larry Fox Associates.
Letters to the Editor, editorial submissions and questions regarding advertising
should be mailed to Larry Fox Associates, P.O. Box 918, Dennis, MA 02638.
FAX and e-mail also accepted. Mailed Editorial submissions will be returned
only if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
To Your Good Health, A Health Care Newsletter, reserves the right to
reject any advertisement for any reason at any time.
This newsletter is not intended to provide advice on personal medical
matters or to substitute for consultation with your physician.
Failure To Address
Lyme Issues A Top
Disappointment
By Representative Cleon H. Turner
Since this is my last term as state representative for
the First Barnstable District, I thought I might make
a statement about my biggest disappointments as a
member of the Joint Committee on Public Health. I
was on that committee my first two terms and serve
on it again this term.
The biggest disappointment is that during the entire 10 years I have been in the legislature there have
been various proposals to deal with the issue of Lyme
Disease and especially chronic Lyme.
Two issues were at the forefront of that discussion.
One was allowing qualified medical professionals
to determine the best approach to dealing with a patient’s disease. The Commonwealth’s licensing authority and some in the medical profession were vigorous
in their attempts to prevent doctors from diagnosing
chronic Lyme and from treating it with a strenuous
antibiotic regimen. Their vigor was such that the licensing authority threatened to sanction doctors who
prescribed high dosages of antibiotics. Fortunately,
legislation was passed the prevented the sanctions and
allows doctors to make an informed diagnosis.
The other issue with Lyme is getting insurers to
pay for high dose antibiotic treatment. Though some
insurers now pay for such treatment, many don’t and
legislation that would require those payments has not
been favorably reported by the committee.
Medical witnesses who once testified in opposition
to treating chromic Lyme with high dose antibiotics
have changed their tune only slightly over my 10 years.
At the beginning, they denied the existence of
such a disease. Lately, though many still doubt the
existence of the disease their testimony has been careful not to deny its existence. They note that there are
no careful studies that both point to the existence of
chronic Lyme and to any credible scientific evidence
that high dose antibiotic treatment is worth the risk of
causing immunities in patients to antibiotics that the
patient may need for other kinds of illnesses.
(Representative Turner, D-Brewster/Dennis/Yarmouth/Barnstable, is member of the Legislature’s
Joint Committee on Public Health; www.repcleonturner.com for further updates.)
Beacon Hill ROUNDUP
Landmark Addiction Bill’s Passage
Will Improve Access To Treatment
By Raymond V. Tamasi
A bill that would ramp up state
efforts to eliminate barriers to addiction treatment and stem the opiate
crisis was passed by the Massachusetts Legislature just as the lawmakers were ending the fiscal 2014 session.
The bill is intended to improve access to detoxification treatment by eliminating the requirement
for prior authorization
by the patient’s insurance
company. Patients would be eligible for up to seven
days of inpatient treatment before an insurer had the
right to review patient eligibility for that treatment.
Any days of care after the first seven would be subject
to utilization review by the insurer.
Heretofore, most insurers required that treatment
organizations obtain permission to admit patients for
detoxification, a process that many claim limited access and made this emergency service more difficult
to obtain. In advance of the legislation, Blue Cross already had eliminated the prior authorization requirement for any patient referred to a detox center by a
hospital emergency room.
Senate President Therese Murray was one of the
champions of the legislation and has been a longtime proponent of a more robust addiction treatment
system. Several months ago Senator Murray charged
Senator Jennifer Flanagan with the responsibility to
study and make recommendations that would improve access to care for addicted patients. The charge
was given in the face of the most severe opiate crisis in
the Commonwealth’s history.
Heroin overdose deaths have taken a significant
toll and especially among the 18-28 age group. Widespread use of opiate pain medication and the easy
availability of inexpensive heroin has contributed to
the rapid rise in opiate addiction. Senator Flanagan.
D-Leominster’ held community hearings throughout
the State, including one at Cape Cod Community College that was attended by many of the Cape’s addic-
tion community.
Treatment advocates have expressed satisfaction
with the bill, which also would reduce barriers for access to anti-craving medication that has been effective for many patients. This intense craving is one of
the highest risks that recently detoxified patients experience and often leads them to resume use of the
drug. Medications that blunt craving by their action
on opioid brain receptors can help patients deal with
this phenomenon and,
when linked to counseling and recovery support
programs, produce longer
periods of remission.
The bill also would toughen the state’s prescription
drug monitoring program and require pharmacists to
dispense an interchangeable abuse deterrent drug unless a physician has specified a substitution should not
be made.
And it has an additional requirement that physicians consult the state’s prescription monitoring program before writing a prescription on an annual basis
for patients receiving ongoing treatment of a controlled substance. The Department of Public Health
will then review and report to the Legislature on
whether doctors are using the prescription monitoring program and the number of physician and pharmacist violations. The objective is to require a doctor
to review a patient’s prescription history, educate the
patient on addiction, limit the quantity of pills and
conduct a risk assessment all before prescribing certain addictive prescription drugs.
While these measures should impact the opiate crisis, addiction professionals also urge a stepped-up campaign to improve prevention efforts, increase school
awareness programs, support and inform families about
signs, symptoms and resources, and do more to align
addiction treatment with general medical care.
Finding better ways to identify problems and intervene at earlier stages, before someone is in crisis, is the
best long-term approach to reduce drug demand
(Mr. Tamasi is President/CEO of Gosnold on
Cape Cod, 508-540-6550 or rtamasi@gosnold.org.)
On ADDICTION
Proud Of Our Healthcare Record,
But There’s Always More To Do
By Senate President Therese Murray
Throughout my time in the Legislature, both as
Senator and Senate President, I have been proud of all
we have accomplished to ensure all Massachusetts residents have access to affordable, quality health care.
We have focused on a number of important issues, like
prescription drug benefits, children’s health programs,
mental health services and substance abuse recovery.
However, while we take pride in our efforts, we also
need to recognize the changes happening and evolve
along with them.
We all know we made history in 2006 by passing landmark health care legislation and becoming a
model for the entire nation. However, we didn’t stop
there.
In 2008 and 2010 we passed legislation to increase
access to care and reduce costs for small businesses.
In 2012, we reduced the cost of care over the longterm by passing cost-containment legislation, known
as Chapter 224. And we took steps to promote innovations and develop new payment methodologies and
delivery systems. Recognizing the benefits of electronic health records, especially in preventive care, we
established a statewide adoption of electronic medical
records in 2008 and facilitated their ongoing adoption
through Chapter 224.
Overall, this legislation allowed us to move away
from fee-for-service and toward a system where the focus is on the quality, not the quantity, of care. That includes focusing on the “whole health” of the patient,
including behavioral health and general well being.
Stressing that behavioral health be covered in the
same manner as physical ailments, the Senate in 2000
passed the Mental Health Parity bill. We have continued to fund mental health services and protect these
vital programs from being disproportionately cut.
Most recently, for Fiscal Year 2015, we have increased funding for inpatient, outpatient and children’s mental health services. We also included provisions to increase and improve substance abuse
treatment, because many times addicts also struggle
with contributing mental health issues.
This past legislative session, we continued our efforts to combat substance abuse by increasing opportunities for long-term recovery. Massachusetts is in the
grip of a substance abuse epidemic and public health
crisis. We understand that addiction is a chronic condition, which is why we proposed a continuum of care
and ways to remove barriers to effective treatment.
As the ages of addicts continue to drop and abuse remains prevalent, this has truly become a problem we
cannot ignore.
Improving the health and affordability of services
and treatments for residents has always been the Commonwealth’s top priority. Thanks to our collective efforts, nearly 100 per cent of our residents are covered
by insurance. Legislators, health care providers, business owners and consumers have all come together to
make this possible.
But our work is never done, and we must always
find new ways to create change where it is needed.
That way we will continue to be national leaders in
healthcare.
(Therese Murray, retiring as president of the
Massachusetts Senate, represented the Plymouth
and Barnstable District.)
Senator Wolf’s column
appears on page 16
Discarded Needle? Handle With Care!
Plus Latest On This Year’s Flu Shots
By George Heufelder, MS, RS,
Director,
Barnstable County Department
of Health & Environment
The opioid addiction epidemic, associated intravenous drug use, and improper disposal of hypodermic
needles are issues frustrating communities across the
nation and the Commonwealth.
And Cape Cod is no exception.
Barnstable County Department of Health & Environment and the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
have been working with towns to address many of
the needs associated with the increase in discarded
syringes.
Every spring towns are offered safety training for
a wide range of public workers, ranging from public
works to school, police and fire departments. This
County REPORT
program stresses worker safety, particularly addressing how to safely retrieve and dispose of discarded syringes on public properties. It also says workers should
be trained annually in OSHA Blood borne Pathogens
Standards and be offered the Hepatitis B vaccine, both
of which are provided through our department.
The waste disposal program also supplies special
containers for public workers to keep in their trucks.
For over 40 years,
Gosnold on Cape Cod
has treated individuals and families,
educated communities, and led the way
with innovative programs and
treatment approaches.
PREVENTION | INTERVENTION
TREATMENT | RECOVERY
23 million Americans are living
in recovery from addiction
If you, or someone you know
needs help or information, call:
800-444-1554
or visit www.gosnold.org
PREVENTION │ INTERVENTION │
TREATMENT │ RECOVERY
And the Cooperative Extension provides free containers of various sizes for distribution to the public in all
15 Cape Cod towns. To find out where to pick up a
container in your town go to www.capecodextension.
org/library/2012/08/Sharps_tri_fold.pdf.
Residents and visitors can pick up these containers at no cost and return them when full to the same
locations. The county then collects them and pays for
their disposal. On average 5,000 empty containers are
distributed to the public each year. The majority of
them are returned from in-home medical treatments,
but some others come back from IV drug users. All
needle users are encouraged to utilize the program regardless of how or why they’re generated.
Picking up and dropping off containers is anonymous and hassle free.
So, what if you find a used syringe?
If you’re confident you can follow these guidelines:
Any type of pliers can be used and you should have
a special sharps container or similar puncture resistant
container right at hand. This procedure can greatly reduce an accidental needle stick.
However, if you don’t feel confident in a safe response, notify your local DPW of the location of the
syringe and request its removal.
Finally—and this is important—if a person is accidentally stuck by an improperly discarded needle, seek
medical attention by a qualified health professional for
counseling on the risks of contracting an infectious disease and what the treatment options are available.
Choose what kind of treatments you wish. You
technically are not “required” to undergo anything,
but seeking immediate medical advice is both wise
and prudent.
•
On another front, this flu season Barnstable County residents have more choices than ever for a vaccine.
Continued on next page
Safe at Home
The Visiting Nurse Association
of Cape Cod was named to the
2013 HomeCare Elite™.
This means you
are getting the
best care possible
in the comfort of
your own home.
V ISITING N URSE A SSOCIATION
OF C APE C OD
Member Cape Cod Healthcare
9.14/CCHC
Learn more at
www.CapeCodHealth.org/VNA
Fall 2014
Your Good Health WELLNESS CORNER
Gotta Keep On Movin’ & Groovin’
To Banish Them Bad Health Blues
By Jean Talbert, M.D.
Physical inactivity ranks fourth behind smoking, hypertension and diabetes
as a risk factor for premature death worldwide. New technologies, modern conveniences, and urbanization have made
many elements of our lives easier, but as a
consequence, we are more sedentary.
Almost 50 percent of women in this
country have inadequate physical activity and here’s a great statistic. The Nurses
Health Study found that for every two
hours spent watching television per day,
there was a 23 percent increased risk of
obesity and 14 percent higher risk of diabetes. Inactivity also has been found to
correlate with higher rates of heart disease, breast cancer and colon cancer.
Regular and adequate physical activity has benefits for almost every organ
system.
Three different types of physical activity are important for overall health:
muscle strengthening, stretching and
aerobic. Muscle strengthening improves
balance and endurance. Stretching helps
to prevent muscle injury and keeps the
joints more limber. Aerobic activity
provides the cardiovascular and metabolic benefits. All of these benefits are
optimized with a program of planned,
structured,
and repetitive exercise
but just decreasing the amount of time spent sitting each day has health benefits.
How much physical activity is
enough? Current guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise
per week. Moderate exercise is defined
as activities that increase heart rate but
not to the degree that you cannot carry
on a conversation. Brisk walking, biking, moderate housework and gardening are examples. The activity can be
broken up into multiple episodes, but
they must be at least 10 minutes each.
Unfortunately, there are many barriers to regular exercise in our culture.
Fear of violence or crime in outdoor
areas, traffic, weather, and lack of parks
and green space in many communities
make regular exercise difficult. Gyms are
now common, but there is an associated cost. Senior centers,
community
recreation
centers and schools may offer less expensive alternatives. Exercise classes
have the benefit of social interaction as
well as some professional guidance to
lower the risk of injury. In general, no
one type of exercise is better than another. Choose what fits best into your
lifestyle and your budget. And many activities, such as walking, are free.
Simple lifestyle changes can be particularly beneficial for those starting from
a very sedentary lifestyle. Use the stairs
instead of an elevator, park farther from
Woman’s WORLD
your
destination,
walk during a lunch
break, bike to work.
Consult with a healthcare provider
before starting a vigorous exercise program if you are pregnant or have risk
factors for heart disease or musculoskeletal injury.
The elderly and those with disabilities should work with their providers
and try to be as active as their health
condition will allow. In most cases, start
slowly and gradually pick it up to reach
a moderate level. And don’t overlook
the need for safety equipment such as
helmets for biking.
A formal exercise program is ideal,
but even integrating more activity into
everyday life can be beneficial. The
more you move, the more you benefit.
(Dr. Talbert is a board certified OB/
GYN specialist practicing with Cape
Obstetrics & Gynecology in Falmouth
and Sandwich, 508-457-0088.)
What To Do If Your Cold Passes Flu Test:
Lots Of Fluids, Healthy Diet…And Rest
By Paul M. Marz, M.D.
Its flu time again!
For those of you who have had the
flu, my apologies for not getting this article out sooner. For those of you just
getting ill, this one’s for you! (Or you
can cut it out and save for later…)
OK, you are not sick…yet. Just to review, flu season is right about now. It will
peak sometime from January to March.
Just remember to not smoke around
children, adults, yourself. Wash your
hands after being in public, or having
contact with someone who is ill. Be nice
to others when you are ill by coughing
into a tissue or away from others. This
is just being polite. Avoid close contact
with anyone who is ill (kissing / holding). At home, regularly clean off doorknobs, dials or other things an ill person
has touched.
So, you are sick. Sorry about that. The
most effective proven method of pre-
venting illness has been touted for years
and years. We continue to ignore this
advice. Remember what you have been
told for years and years? Well, it hasn’t
changed. (Plenty of rest, a healthy and
nutritious diet, and regular exercise.)
Got it? Ok, what to do now. How can you
tell it is a head cold, and not something
“dangerous?”
The
flu
and a head
cold are both viruses, so which one do
you have this time? Now if you have
chest pain, severe illness or other symptoms not outlined here, call your doctor for evaluation. But if not, and you’re
wondering what you have, consider the
following:
First and foremost, is there a fever?
Your typical head cold most often will not
give you a temperature. But, infants and
small children are the exception. Those
helpless cute little bundles of love will do
whatever it takes to give you gray hair. Fever itself is not a bad thing. It is only a
symptom of itself; it is not a disease. Fever
is the body at work. When you crank up
the engine in the car, you expect it to get
hot. The body is no different. Next time
you have the urge and don’t successfully
suppress it, take your temperature after
running
2
miles in 15
minutes. So,
how hot is too hot? Studies to date show
no permanent harm until the temperature reaches 107 or so. Up to 104, there is
no need to sponge off the child. Less than
102 and if the child looks fine, I would
not even treat them. So, in conclusion,
for a cold, a temperature is rare; for the
flu, 102 to 104 for three or four days is
common.
Next, is there a headache? Sudden
onset and impressive? Yep, the flu! Colds
rarely cause headache unless you are
Kid STUFF
prone to them anyway.
Muscle aches? The flu holds the record on this one. Colds try, but are only
mildly successful at it.
Tired and loss of get up and go? The
flu can zap you for a week or two, but
not colds.
Runny nose, sore throat, sneezing?
Give your cold a point for each! How
about a cough? Well no help there as
they both can do that one.
So now you’re the expert, just add
up the points and congratulations! But
don’t let it go to your head.
Prescribe yourself plenty of liquids,
healthy foods…and get some rest.
(Dr. Marz, a board-certified pediatrician, is supervising physician
for the Barnstable school system. He
practices with Bass River Pediatrics in
South Yarmouth.)
Field Of Dental Cosmetics Expanding
To Give The Entire Face A New Look
By Dr. Richard A. Weiler
Dental cosmetic procedures have
advanced dramatically over the last decade. Whether applied in a dental office
or at home, bleaching, cosmetic bonding and ceramic veneers can restore
youthful color and brightness to worn,
stained and aged teeth. And orthodontics and clear braces, implants and
prosthetic
proce dures
can enhance
facial form, profile and lip support.
Aging, exposure to sun, smoking and
County –
which protects against four of the most
common circulating strains of the flu
this year.
Then there is a recombinant influenza
vaccine, trivalent, that contains no egg
product for those severely allergic to eggs.
And, finally, flumist quadrivalent, a
live attenuated vaccine in the form of
an intranasal spray, recommended for
those between 2 and 8, but possible to
give up to 49 years of age.
For more information, check out www.
cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm.
Continued
Inactivated influenza vaccine, trivalent, protects from three of the most
common circulating strains of flu virus.
This same preparation also comes in
a high dose form for those 65 and older.
As we age our immune system weakens,
thus requiring the extra boost to make
the antibodies.
Another available form is the inactivated influenza vaccine, quadrivalent,
medical maladies can result in a loss of
collagen and soft tissue support, leading to, gulp,
WRINKLES!
In developing a more beautiful and youthful
smile, dentists now can address the
peri-oral structure that frames your
smile, the lips and cheeks.
Dermal fillers can replace what’s
lost and, in some cases, even stimulate
the production of new collagen. These
procedures usually are considered minimally invasive, nonsurgical face-lifts.
There are few adverse effects or allergic
reactions, although some bruising can
occur. There is significantly less expense
and recovery is quick and minimal.
BOTOX also has been used to reduce
wrinkling by relaxing muscle contractions. Generally these work best for the
forehead and corners of the eyes.
The Whole TOOTH
Patients
who
have suffered from
temporomandibular
joint dysfunction or severe headaches
also may benefit from BOTOX injections, especially if all other therapies
have not been totally successful.
So-called “Dental Spas” now are
springing up in metropolitan areas
where they can coordinate cosmetic
procedures of the teeth with the esthetic treatment of the skin, using such
techniques as dermal fillers, BOTOX,
laser resurfacing and facials. Cape Cod,
with its growing baby boomer population, should be seeing development of
these dental spas in the not too distant
future.
(Dr. Weiler is a principal of Weiler,
Walkley & Associates dental practice
in Harwich, 508-430-0505.)
New CCHC Staff Flu Policy:
Get A Shot, Or Wear A Mask
Providing the women of Cape Cod
the most advanced healthcare
technology, right here on Cape Cod.
Cape Cod Healthcare is proud to offer women’s
healthcare services to all women on Cape Cod.
We have the most modern equipment for screening and
diagnostic services. That means women of Cape Cod
have access to the highest level of women’s healthcare
including the wide-bore 3T MRI, an imaging unit that is
the only one of its kind south of Boston. Now with the
most advanced technology right here, there is no need to
go off Cape to get the very best care.
We’re taking good care of you.
TM
We’re here for the women of Cape Cod.
Cuda Women’s Health Center
Wilkens Outpatient Medical Complex • 35 Wilkens Lane, Barnstable
capecodhealth.org/wilkens/cuda • To schedule an exam: 508-957-1700
3T Breast MRI and MRI-guided Biopsy • Breast Ultrasound
Digital Mammography • Breast Cancer Support Group • Bone Densitometry
Stereotactic and Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy
Seifer Women’s Health and Imaging Center
Falmouth Hospital • 100 Ter Heun Drive, Falmouth
capecodhealth.org/seifer • To schedule an exam: 1-877-224-2009
Digital Mammography • Digital Radiology
Ultrasound • Bone Densitometry • Breast Cancer Support Services
As the 2014-2015 flu season approaches, Cape Cod Healthcare has
implemented a new policy regarding flu vaccinations for all workers.
Effective December 1, all physicians,
employees, students, volunteers and
vendors will be required to be immunized against influenza or wear a
surgical mask while in patient care
areas during influenza season.
The new CCHC policy is not a
mandate to receive a flu shot. Those
who choose not to will have the
option of signing a form declining
the vaccination, but then will be required to wear a surgical mask at all
times within patient care areas.
Influenza is a serious respiratory disease that kills an average of
36,000 people and hospitalizes more
than 200,000 in this country every
year. Patients, especially young children, pregnant women, the elderly
and those with chronic health conditions, are at greater risk for influenza-related hospitalizations and
death. Agencies such as the Centers
for Disease Control, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
and The Joint Commission recommend vaccinations for all individuals who work in the healthcare field.
CCHC will provide these free
throughout the influenza season.
All vaccinated staff members will
have a sticker displayed on their ID
badge.
For the safety of patients and
others, Cape Cod Healthcare strongly advises that anyone entering one
of its facilities during flu season be
vaccinated against the disease.
…And The Smoking Lamp Is Out!
In an effort to create a healthier environment for all who work at, stay in
or visit its facilities, Cape Cod Healthcare will greet the new year by implementing a tobacco-free policy throughout the entire system.
As of January 1, the use of any tobacco or unregulated nicotine product,
including e-cigarettes, will be prohibited inside and on the grounds of all
CCHC facilities.
“The reason for the new policy is
simple. We are a healthcare system and
our mission is to treat and heal illness
and disease, which means we must not
only provide the best care possible, but
we must also lead by example,” said
Michael K. Lauf, President and CEO
of Cape Cod Healthcare. “Countless
studies have documented the devastating effects of tobacco use on people’s
health. The good news is that it is the
single most preventable cause of death,
disease and disability in the U.S.”
All physicians, employees and volunteers, as well as patients and visitors,
will be required to comply with this
new policy. And security departments
at Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth
Hospital will work to enforce the policy on hospital grounds. Also adequate
and educational signage and handouts
will be provided at all other CCHC facilities so patients and visitors can learn
about this new initiative. Patients and
residents in CCHC facilities observed
using tobacco products will be asked to
stop and will receive an informational
card.
CCHC will provide education,
counseling and other resources to help
employees and volunteers reduce or
quit the use of tobacco and unregulated nicotine products.
Power of Listening Simply
Cannot Be Underestimated
By Stephanie G. Kelly,
Executive Director
Samaritans on Cape Cod and the
Islands
Founded in 1977, The Samaritans
on Cape Cod and the Islands is a nondenominational, non-profit volunteer
organization whose mission is to provide emotional support to those who
are lonely, depressed or suicidal.
Samaritan volunteers provide nonjudgmental active listening to callers
in need on our crisis hotlines, older
adults in our Senior Outreach program,
and survivors in our Safe Place support
groups for those who have lost someone to suicide.
As members of the oldest and largest suicide prevention network in the
world, we encourage all members of our
community to talk openly about suicide
so they can provide help, and hope, to
those in need.
Too many of us think that we are
great at listening when we’re really just
hearing. Hearing simply happens. Listening, however, involves concentration and a desire to communicate on a
deeper level.
In our society, those experiencing
depression, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness often are ignored. Yet, they are
the people who most need to be heard.
They bear their pain alone and in silence. When they do speak about their
lives, too often
the
response
consists of platitudes and advice.
At the Samaritans
on
Cape Cod and
the Islands, we
have found that the most important
contribution is to just listen–not with
the intent to fix the situation, but merely
to ease someone’s pain, even if only for
a short while until the crisis has passed.
Some simple tips:
Listen actively. Provide them with
your full attention. Let them talk without interruption. Assure them there is
no rush.
Be focused. Your voice and manner
will convey your care and empathy.
What you say or don’t say is less important than the way you say it.
Many times there are no real “answers.” Your role is simply to listen, to be
with the person, and to share the pain.
This may not seem like much, but having someone to talk to may be all that
is needed to restore their confidence and
increase their ability to cope with life.
(The Samaritans on Cape Cod and
the Islands Help Line is 1-800-8939900 if you need someone to talk to;
but if there is immediate danger, call
911.)
Fall 2014
When It Comes To Breast Cancer,
Cape ‘Month’ Lasts A Whole Year
October is traditionally the time when
women’s health takes center stage in
the United States because it is National
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but that
doesn’t mean women should ignore their
healthcare needs the rest of the year.
Whatever the “month,” women continue to be encouraged to follow guidelines for breast cancer screening. The
American Cancer Society advises that
women age 40 and older should have
an annual mammogram and should
continue to do so every year for as long
as they are in good health. They explain
that the annual mammogram is an early detection practice that saves lives.
Women on Cape Cod have several
options for mammography and any follow-up diagnostic, surgical or oncology
procedures they may need.
Cape Cod Healthcare has three locations for digital mammography services.
They are the full-service Seifer Women’s
Health and Imaging Center at Falmouth
Hospital and Cuda Women’s Health Center at Wilkens Outpatient Medical Complex in Hyannis, plus Fontaine Outpatient Center in Harwich, which provides
only mammography and ultrasound.
The two major centers are accredited
by the National Accreditation Program
for Breast Centers, a member of the
American College of Surgeons, which
means they have met rigorous safety
and quality standards.
Available at Cuda are digital mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy.
breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided biopsy; 3T breast MRI and MRI-guided biopsy (a high resonance unit that is
the only one of its kind on Cape Cod);
bone density; and a support group for
newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients.
Available at Seifer are digital radiology; digital mammography; bone
density; ultrasound; stereotactic and
ultrasound-guided breast biopsies and a
breast cancer support group.
CCHC Cardiac Rehab Program
Extended To Cape Cod Hospital
A dedicated rehabilitation program
for the year following any cardiac episode is considered critical to any patient’s recovery and Cape Cod Healthcare’s Heart and Vascular Institute has
long been providing this service at Falmouth Hospital.
Now, they announce, starting this
fall, this comprehensive exercise and
educational program also will be offered
on the Cape Cod Hospital campus, 25
Main Street, in Hyannis.
Cardiac rehab is part of the aftercare
not just for patients who have suffered
a heart attack within the preceding 12
months, but also includes situations
such as bypass surgery, heart valve repair or replacement, current stable angina, chronic heart failure, angioplasty or
coronary stenting, or a heart or heartlung transplant.
The medical director of the new
service is Dr. Elissa Thompson. The
Falmouth Hospital team has been
directed by Dr. Jennifer Ladner.
The exercise segment is a monitored
program consisting of 36 sessions and
participants must have a physician’s order and referral. Group programs consist of warmup, conditioning and cool
down phases using stationary bikes,
treadmills, arm exercises and hand
weights. EKG telemetry monitoring
during exercise is provided and supervised by an exercise specialist/physiologist and an experienced cardiac nurse.
Once a patient graduates from the
monitored program, a self-pay maintenance program is available to continue
the rehab program in the same setting
with medical supervision.
The educational component includes
risk factor identification and modifications, nutrition and diet, medications,
and stress management. Counseling
about risk factor modification is available on an individual basis by professional staff. Spouses, family members
and friends are welcome to attend these
educational sessions.
For more information, visit www.
capecodhealth.org.
Police Stress Dealing
With The Mentally Ill
Too often, the only time we read
about an incident involving police and
a mentally ill individual, the story has a
tragic ending.
The many peaceful resolutions never make the papers. Commonwealth
police departments are taking steps to
make that the absolute norm. Because
peaceful resolutions don’t happen by
accident.
This was the subject of a Cape Cod
forum on Mental Health Crisis Response
late this summer at the Chatham Community Center hosted by the National
Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and
the Chatham Police Department. It featured representatives of the Taunton
Community Crisis Intervention Team,
which has a program that works.
As Chatham Police Chief Mark Pawlina pointed out, “Although many may
struggle with this, police have to add
mental health skills. What can we do?
Where do we take them?”
Fortunately, as Ron Holmes, Executive Director of NAMI Cape Cod
& Islands, added, “The momentum is
growing. This is an issue that no longer
needs to be sold.”
Avoiding flashpoints in the first
place can be critical.
Kathy Lalor, coordinator of the
Taunton Community Crisis Team, cited
two examples of how her department
makes this work.
Chief Pawlina had noted in his
opening remarks that many mentally ill
people that come to the attention of his
department are repeaters. They get into
trouble, are institutionalized for treatment and, when stable, are returned to
their old environment where too often
they may stop taking their meds and
the cycle is repeated.
To break this pattern, Ms. Lalor said,
the department has instituted what
they call “well-being visits.” As she explained, “Too often these people have
other issues besides what led to their arrest. And these visits help them recognize there is a community agency that
can help them.” And reinforce compliance with their treatment program.
Spotting potential problems before
they erupt also extends into schools,
which too often these days have been
scenes of horrific events. “What we do
is our police department maintains very
close contact with teachers and school
administrators,” she said, “And so they
can let us know about potential problems in time to prevent them.”
Of all the investments we’ve
made in women’s health, our people
are the most important.
Cape Cod Healthcare is proud to offer women’s
healthcare services to all women on Cape Cod. Our two
modern state-of-the-art facilities give women a place that is
serene, comfortable and private. Our radiologists, surgeons,
nurse practitioners, nurses and technologists have
the highest level of specialty training along with a very
compassionate approach to women’s health. Now with our
team of top quality providers using the latest technology and
equipment, Cape Cod women can be assured there is no
need to go off Cape to get the very best care.
We’re taking good care of you.
TM
We’re here for the women of Cape Cod.
Cuda Women’s Health Center
Wilkens Outpatient Medical Complex • 35 Wilkens Lane, Barnstable
capecodhealth.org/wilkens/cuda • To schedule an exam: 508-957-1700
3T Breast MRI and MRI-guided Biopsy • Breast Ultrasound
Digital Mammography • Breast Cancer Support Group • Bone Densitometry
Seifer Women’s Health and Imaging Center
Falmouth Hospital • 100 Ter Heun Drive, Falmouth
capecodhealth.org/seifer • To schedule an exam: 1-877-224-2009
Digital Mammography • Digital Radiology
Ultrasound • Bone Densitometry • Breast Cancer Support Services
Growing Old Can Be Clinically Depressing
Depression is a life-long issue for many, but it can
also arise after an illness or injury or in response to aging. The clinicians at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod help patients sort out what is an expected response to a health problem from a more serious
depression needing treatment. Health psychologist
John Allen, Ph.D., and Janet Mooney, LICSW, senior
social worker, inpatient programs, recently shared
their insights into depression related to health problems and age.
Q. Being in the hospital is stressful, but can it actually cause
depression?
Janet Mooney: Many of our patients have experienced a sudden,
life-altering event, such as stroke, brain injury, trauma, or amputation. Others have a new diagnosis of a chronic disease, such as Parkinson’s or MS. These conditions can profoundly change a person’s
life. Some go through an initial adjustment and soon are able to cope.
Others, overwhelmed, may develop depression.
Q. How can you identify the difference between a normal
reaction and a major depression?
JM: Duration and severity are key. It’s normal to feel sad, angry,
helpless, confused after a major threat to health. In the initial throes
of adjusting to a significant loss of function, quality of life can look so
bleak that patients may say they don’t want to live like this. You help
them understand that this “reactive depression” is temporary and
part of the grieving process.
HAPPENINGS
Hope HouseCalls, part of the HopeHealth family of
services, has contracted with Senior Whole Health to provide home-based primary care physician services to their
members who are MassHealth Eligible Recipients. This
includes initial and ongoing assessment, care coordination, medication management and medical advice.
The mission of Senior Whole Health is “to maximize
the quality of life, health, security and independence
of their members,” particularly for “dual-eligibles” who
quality for both Medicare and Medicaid.
HopeHealth also has scheduled a free one-day program for children who have experienced the death of a
At the same time, you’re alert for signs of deeper trouble. Being
involved in the patient’s rehab team right away helps you get to know
the patient and family and assess their coping skills. A psychiatrist
may check to rule out causative medical conditions or medications.
Sometimes the stress of illness brings to the surface long-standing
anxiety or depression that was undiagnosed and untreated.
Q. What happens after a patient goes home?
JM: This can be a real concern. Patients are in a protected environment, surrounded by a compassionate care team focused on
their physical and emotional recovery and well-being. You strive to
prepare them for the frustrations and hard work that lie ahead. Once
home, the reality of their limitations really sinks in. Signs of depression can occur months after discharge. You seek to educate the family about warning signs and when they should contact their primary
care physician.
Q. Are certain people at greater risk for depression?
John Allen: Yes. People with chronic psychological issues are at
higher risk. Much depends on their mental framework, whether they
are generally negative, critical or anxious.
JM: Also people with poor support systems. Women have been
shown to be twice as likely to become seriously depressed. Another
factor is how the illness will affect function.
Q. Robin Williams was diagnosed with Parkinson’ disease before he took his life. Is depression more common with this disease?
JA: First, there’s ample reporting that Robin Williams had longterm struggles with depression and addiction that preceded his di-
agnosis. These risk factors are independent of his diagnosis.
When the National Parkinson Disease Foundation asked which
symptoms had the most negative impact on quality of life, depression was number one. It changes how you see things.
That said, it’s very atypical for someone newly diagnosed with
Parkinson’s to commit suicide. Many live relatively independently for
years. Most develop skills to deal with decline. Much depends on the
patient’s coping skills, supports and other factors.
Q. Why is depression so common in Parkinson’s disease?
JA: As with other chronic illness, depression can occur in reaction to the diagnosis. It can also emerge as the disease progresses
and loss of function worsens. Prior depression poses a greater risk.
Compared with other chronic diseases, people with Parkinson’s
do have a higher rate of depression. So depression may be a result of
changes in the brain’s biochemistry that are inherent to the disease
process. The depletion of dopamine and decreases in serotonin and
norepinephrine—all neurotransmitters associated with feelings of
well-being—are likely culprits. In any case, treatment is essentially
the same. You evaluate medications, provide counseling, encourage
the use of support systems, and treat the symptoms.
Q. How is depression treated?
JA: It’s very individualized. Medications may be necessary. In the
rehab setting we look at multiple approaches because not everything works with everyone. Exercise is often overlooked but can be a
parent, sibling or loved one.
•
Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands, Inc. (CACCI) has been selected for the second year
in a row by the Massachusetts Health Connector to serve
as the designated Health Care Navigator agency for the
area and has been awarded a commensurate grant.
•
The Tobey Hospital Guild has announced scholarship
awards for area high school seniors interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. Among three winners of the
$1,000 grants were Rachel Bordieri, a graduate of Upper
Cape Cod Regional High School, who will attend Fitchburg State University to pursue a career in nursing, and
Hannah Hayward, a graduate of Wareham High School,
who will attend Emmanuel College as a pre-med student.
•
EPOCH Senior Living has named Kristine Callahan
director of community relations of Bridges® by EPOCH
at Mashpee, a 54-suite memory care assisted living community now under construction and scheduled to open
next summer.
•
Broad Reach Healthcare in North Chatham has added
Dr. Scott Graham to the medical staff at Liberty Commons where he will serve in an advisory role as an Associate Medical Director as well as following patients as their
attending/primary care physician.
•
The Community Health Center of Cape Cod in Mashpee has announced the addition of three new providers
to its professional staff.
Dr. Michael Messina is a family medicine physician
who received his medical degree from the University
of Massachusetts Medical School at Worcester and a
bachelor of science degree in biochemistry from Boston College.
Dr. Messina will be seeing adult and pediatric patients at the Health Center’s Mashpee location as will the
newly appointed dentist, Dr. Theresa Guanci. Dr. Guanci received her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from
Boston University School of Henry M. Goldman Dental
Medicine and completed a dental externship at Community Health Center of Cape Cod. The third new hire, Yvonne Nickerson, MSW, LCSW,
is a social worker with extensive experience working with
people with co-occurring disorders, mental illness, and
substance abuse.
•
Recognized for quality and performance, Tufts Health
Plan has earned 4.5 stars out of a possible 5 for its Tufts
Medicare Preferred HMO and Senior Care Options plans
from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services as part
of their annual Star ratings for 2015. Tufts’ Medicare Preferred HMO, the largest Medicare Advantage plan in Massachusetts with over 104,000 members, has received this
4.5 star rating for five consecutive years. Five is perfect.
SERVICE DIRECTORY
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and support
services from
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Call 888-778-5568 | www.bayada.com
Bayada Nurses is now BAYADA Home Health Care.
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To you its about making the
right choice...To us its personal
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508.778.8613
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Shopping and Errands
Personal Care
Respite Care
Each Home Instead Senior Care ® franchise office is independently owned and operated.©2013 Home Instead, Inc.
Michael MacDonald
Owner/Operator
Don’t Fall, Call!
508-771-2347
Uniquely qualified through the National Association of
Home Builders as a “Certified Aging In Place Specialist”
Continued on next page
Age in Place
of New England
GoSafe
Mobile Personal Emergency
Response System
A MAYBRUCK HOME IMPROVEMENT COMPANY
9 Herring Pond Road, Plymouth, MA 02360
Mark Buell
508-888-8811 Office315-269-4684 Cell
AgeinPlaceofNewEngland.com
mbuell@yahoo.com
MEDICAL CLAIMS
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508-398-1177 • www.capecodlifeline.com
Fall 2014
Norte Heads Harbor Point;
Benchmark Group Honored
WELCOME TO BREWSTER: One of many town officials in attendance, Ben deRuyter, vice chair of the
Board of Selectman (right), chats with Maplewood
Senior Living Chairman and CEO Gregory D. Smith
at the October 16 ground-breaking ceremony that
officilly marked the commencement of construction for Maplewood Senior Living’s newest assisted
living and memory care community on Harwich
Road. Mr. Smith said the 132-unit facility, to be
known as Maplewood at Brewster, is expected to be
completed in about 16 months.
THE GANG’S ALL HERE: Staff at Gentiva Home
Health service are all smiles September 24 as they
prepare to greet visitors to the open house marking
their new quarters at 88 Route 6A in Sandwich.
Jean Norte, recently named Executive Director at
Harbor Point at Centerville, comes to her new position with 22 years of healthcare experience.
She began her career at Boston Medical Center
where she worked for over 13 years before accepting
a position at a new continuing care retirement community in Hingham. There she served as practice
manager of the on-site primary care medical office
that provided care for over 1,000 senior residents. She
eventually was promoted to assist in the development
and opening of the on-site skilled nursing facility
where her primary role was managing the operations
of the long-term and short-term care floors as well as
the hiring and supervising of the care associates for
this 132-bed facility.
Ms. Norte joined the Benchmark Senior Living organization in 2012, filling the dual roles of Traditional
Care Director and Executive Director at The Falls
of Cordingly Dam in Newton. The move to Harbor
Point, an assisted living
facility that specializes in
memory loss as well as respite and short-term care,
allows her to be closer to
her home and family in Plymouth.
Harbor Point is among the 50 Benchmark communities specializing in assisted living for the memory impaired in the Northeast that were honored as
a group to receive Long-Term Living magazine’s 2014
OOPTIMA award for excellence. The award gave special recognition to Benchmark’s Memory Care Program.
Aging –
ogy, a mental health screening is part of the evaluation. The team is
attuned to addressing psychosocial issues as part of the treatment plan.
JM: This model is an advantage for both patient and clinician.
By getting involved with inpatients early on, if a crisis hits there’s
already a built-in rapport. People open up differently when they’ve
been able to talk to you before. That helps the rehab team respond
more quickly and effectively to the patient’s needs.
Continued
powerful anti-depressant. Other helpful strategies include healthful
diet, not smoking, maintaining relationships, and cultivating an attitude of gratitude. As with exercise, these can have a real impact on
someone struggling with depression. Combining approaches often
turns things around dramatically.
Q. What about depression related to aging?
JM: We don’t like to discuss getting old in our culture. New
fears crop up, especially if a spouse dies. Support systems dwindle.
Friends die. When an illness hits, the situation is ripe for depression
and anxiety. One danger is that the symptoms may not be recognized. Fatigue and apathy may be attributed to illness or medications. Emotions are not validated and the underlying cause isn’t
treated. Primary care physicians, emergency rooms, councils on aging and others who routinely interact with elders can help identify
someone with depression so their suffering can be lessened with the
right treatment. Isolation should be a red flag.
People with chronic illness should be routinely screened. Often
they’ve already developed strong coping skills, so the idea of more
lifestyle changes isn’t necessarily daunting. But it may be harder to
maintain their level of function.
Q. When a loved one has a serious illness, the whole family
is affected. Is depression a risk to them?
JM: It can be. Both patient and family should be important parts
of the rehab team. You recognize that this event impacts the family,
too. Roles of spouses and adult children can dramatically shift. Caregivers may not only feel they have lost a partner, but also a loss of
self, of who they were before they became “the caregiver.”
JA: I run the Healthy Mindset program for persons with Parkinson’s and their care partners. Families can get very stressed from
seeing how their loved one is changing while powerless to stop the
disease. Normalizing these feelings is key. We educate groups to
reduce the unknown and prepare for the future. Care partners play
a key role in facilitating treatment and we emphasize that care partners also need to alleviate their stress.
Q. What can be done to identify depression early?
JA: One study recommended that people with Parkinson’s should be
screened each year for depression. At our Centers for Geriatric Neurol-
FIND EXPERT PHYSICIANS.
FIND ADVANCED REHABILITATION.
FIND YOUR STRENGTH.
See the Top 10 reasons to choose Spaulding at SpauldingTop10.org
For more information, call 508-833-4201
12 TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH, A Health Care Newsletter Your Good Health Calendar
To have your program included in the next
To Your Good Health Calendar contact:
Calendar, P.O. Box 918, Dennis, MA 02638;
e-mail larry.fox@comcast.net; or FAX 508-896-7683.
Between issues, this calendar is regularly updated
on our website, www.toyourgoodhealth.com
(Abbreviations: CCHC, Cape Cod
Healthcare; CCH, Cape Cod Hospital;
FH, Falmouth Hospital; SCC, Spaulding
Rehabilitation Hospital, Cape Cod; COA,
Council On Aging; VNA, Visiting Nurse
Association; CCCC, Cape Cod Community College)
SUPPORT GROUPS
CAPEWIDE
ADD-Adult Support, 508-760-3808
Adoption Connection, 7 p.m., CCH,
508-896-7332
Adult ADD Treatment Groups, 508-7901333
AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, HIV
Antibody Testing, 1-800-698-6247 (new
oral swab/needle testing available);
Needle Exchange Program Information,
508-430-7382 or 1-800-905-1170; both
services free and anonymous. For more
information, visit www.asgcc.org
Al-Anon/Alateen, for family & friends of
alcoholics, 508-394-4555 for information
on program and meeting schedules.
Alzheimer’s Services of Cape Cod & the
Islands, 712 Main Street, Hyannis, MA
02601, 508-775-5656 for information
Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Groups:
Barnstable Senior Center, 3rd Tuesday
month, 508-862-44753; Buzzards Bay:
Cape Cod Nursing & Rehab Center,
3rd Tuesday month, 6:30-8 p.m., 508759-5752; Centerville: Cape & Islands
Vegetarian Supper Club, monthly at
Cape Cod Seventh-day Adventist
Church, Osterville, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $12
per person (special fees for children),
347-613-2187 or www.capecodsda.org
for information
Cape Regency Rehab & Nursing Center
(Radius) 3rd Friday, 3 p.m., 508-7781835; Harbor Point at Centerville, 1st
Thursday, 10 a.m., 508-778-2311 (part
of educational series); Dennis: Dennis
COA, 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 1:30
p.m., 508-385-8414, and Early Stage
onset, 4th Monday month, 1:30 p.m.,
508-775-5656; Eagle Pond Rehab &
Living Center, 2nd Wednesday, 3:30
p.m., 508-385-6034; Falmouth: Falmouth
Jewish Congregation, 4th Thursday, 3:30
p.m., 508-778-5589 (open to all faiths);
Harborside Healthcare, (call for schedule) 508-457-9000; JML Care Center,
last Thursday, 10 a.m., 508-457-4621;
Royal Nursing Center, 2nd Tuesday, 6
p.m., 508-548-3800; Harwich: Harwich
COA, 3rd Thursday, 10 a.m., 508-4307550; Mashpee: Christ the King Parish,
1st Tuesday, 1 p.m., 508-477-7700; New
Seabury: The Brain Center, 1st Sunday,
508-477-5300 (call to confirm date &
time); Orleans: Orleans COA, 4th Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 508-255-6333; Sandwich:
Cape Heritage Nursing & Rehab Center,
3rd Thursday, 3 p.m., 508-888-8222;
Wareham: The Tremont, 2nd Tuesday, 2
p.m., 508-295-1040; Young Alzheimer’s
Onset Support Group, under 65, 508775-5656.
Arts & Alzheimer’s Respite Program for
patients and caregivers, free, 508-7755656 to register
General Caregiver Support Groups
(including Alzheimer’s Caregivers):
Brewster: Angel Care Support Group,
Brewster COA, 3rd Wednesday, 10:30
a.m., 508-896-2737; Eastham: Eastham
COA, alternate Mondays, 10 a.m.,
508-240-2327 (call to confirm date &
time); Hyannis: Barnstable COA, 2nd
& 4th Wednesdays, 9:30-11 a.m., 508862-4750 or 508-394-4630, extension
181; Provincetown: Provincetown COA,
alternate Mondays, 2:30 p.m., 508-4877080; Wellfleet: Wellfleet COA, alternate
Tuesdays, 10 a.m., 508-349-4630,
extension 151 to register.
Early Stage Support Groups (call 508775-5656 to schedule required interview,
individual listed numbers for schedules):
Bourne: Bourne Memorial Building/Senior
Center, 508-759-0653; Hyannis: Alzheimer’s Services offices, 508-775-5656;
Orleans: Orleans COA, 508-775-5656.
Youth Support Group, The Forget-MeNots, 508-888-8601
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), sponsored
by Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3rd
Wednesday month, 2-4 p.m., Heritage at
Falmouth, 508-398-0376 or 508-5632373
Aphasia Support Group, SCC, Sandwich,
first Wednesday month, 10-11:30 a.m.,
508-833-4268
Arthritis Support Groups, 3rd Thursday
month, 1 p.m. Call Brewster COA, 508896-2737; 2nd Friday month, 10-11:30
a.m., Carol Jacobson Senior Center,
Mashpee, 508-539-1440. (Call 508-2556333 if interested in joining similar group
at Orleans COA.)
Arthritis & Total Joint Replacement Support Group, 3rd Wednesday month, 10
a.m., Falmouth Hospital, 508-457-4900
or www.drdimond.com for details
Asthma Support Group, 2nd Tuesday
month, CCH, 7-10 p.m. Dr. Paul Sklarew,
508-771-6808 Bereavement Support
for Adults, Hospice & Palliative Care of
Cape Cod: Hyannis-Wednesdays, 4-5:30
p.m., Thursdays, 1-2:30 p.m.; FalmouthThursdays, noon-1:30 p.m.; registration
required, 508-957-0200
Bereaved Parents Support Group,
Mondays, 1-2:30 p.m., VNA office in
Falmouth, 1-800-978-0838
Bereavement Support (for those widowed two years or less), sponsored by
Widowed Persons Service of Cape Cod
Inc., “Finding support After the Death
of a Loved One,” 508-945-0429; Three
new 10-session bereavement support
groups for parents, adolescents and
adults facing the loss of a parent have
been established by VNA of Cape Cod
Hospice Program, call 1-800-978-0838
for details; “The Circle,” VNA Hospice
support group for children 5-13 and the
parent/adult, 508-957-7716
Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, Southeastern Region (regional
office, East Wareham: 508-743-0333,
888-60-sport, www.biama.org): Buzzards
Bay Support Group, 3rd Friday month,
Buzzards Bay Community Center, 6-7:30
p.m., 508-759-2049; Brain Injury Survivor
and Family Support Group, Cotuit, 3rd
Wednesday month, 10a.m.-noon, Cotuit
Center for the Arts Gallery (jg-capecod@
comcast.net, 508-274-4636; Falmouth
Stroke Survivor Support Group, 2nd
Tuesday month, 1:30-3 p.m., Falmouth
Hospital (508-540-7641); Sandwich Brain
Aneurysm/Mild Brain Injury Support
Group, 3rd Saturday month, 2-4 p.m.,
Corpus Christi Church, East Sandwich
(508-539-3732); Sandwich Stroke
Survivor and Peer Visitation Program,
2nd Wednesday month 1:30-3 p.m.,
Spaulding Cape Cod, Sandwich (508420-4574); Wareham Daytime Caregiver
Support Group, 2nd Thursday month,
10 a.m.-noon, BIA East Wareham office
(508-946-1115); Wareham Evening
Caregiver Support Group, 4th Wednesday month, 6-8 p.m., BIA East Wareham
office (508-946-1115); Plymouth Family
and Survivors Support Group, 3rd Monday month, 6:30-8 p.m., Braintree Rehab
Clinic, Plymouth (781-348-2500)
Breastfeeding Support Group, 1st & 3rd
Friday month, call WIC at 508-771-7896
or 1 (800) 942-2445
Breast Cancer support Group, last
Tuesday month, The Center for Healing,
(The Barn across from First Parish
Unitarian-Universalist Church), 1969
Main St. (Rte 6A), Brewster, 1-2:30 p.m.,
508-237-1449
Breastfeeding Moms support group,
Tuesdays 10 a.m.-noon, Center for
Breastfeeding, 327 Quaker Meeting
House Road, Sandwich, 1- 888-890-2229
or 508-888-7794 for information
Cancer support group: “Polly’s Place,”
for caregivers, the newly diagnosed and
survivors, First Lutheran Church, W.
Barnstable, 1st & 3rd Thursdays month,
6 p.m., Karen R.,508-775-1412 for
information
Cancer Talk Support and Survival
Group for Women, Thursdays, 7-8:30
p.m., VNA, S. Dennis, 508-432-1452,
508-385-6302
Cape Cod AWAKE: Sleep Apnea
Awareness Support Group, meetings at
Yarmouth Senior Center, 508-760-1978
for more information
Cape Cod Post-Polio Association, meets
monthly, for polio survivors and their
families, 508-362-5547
Cape & Islands Suicide Prevention
Coalition, 2nd Thursday month, 11:15
a.m.-12:45 p.m., Barnstable Superior
Courthouse; Ongoing Survivor Support
Groups
in Falmouth, Hyannis & Nantucket, For
more information, The Samaritans on
Cape Cod & the Islands, 508-548-7999;
Cape Cod & Islands Crisis Team Hotline,
1-800-322-1356; Veterans Crisis Hotline,
1-800-273-8255, Press one, always
available; For more information about
upcoming events and trainings, www.
suicideispreventable.net
Caregivers’ Support Group, 2nd & 4th
Friday month, 1 p.m., Orleans Methodist
Church, call 508-896-9382
Cape Resources for Accessing State
Health Insurance (adults & children)
CAPEWIDE-1 (877) CAPECOD (2273263); Upper Cape-VNA of Cape Cod
508-457-6194 or 1 (800) 696-4047,
ext. 194; Mid Cape-Community Action
Committee of Cape Cod and Islands
Inc., 508-771-1727 or 1 (800) 845-1999;
Lower Cape-Healthy Connections, 508255-1903
Caregivers Support, call VNA, 508-2401100 or 1 (800) 696-0303
Caregivers Support Groups sponsored
by Beacon Hospice: all conditions (including dementia), 2nd and 4th Tuesday
month, Barnstable Senior Center, 3-4:30
p.m.; dementia specific, 3rd Tuesday
month, Bourne Manor, 4-5:30 p.m.
Caregiver Support Group for Men,
Barnstable Senior Center, 1st & 3rd
Wednesday month, 9:30-11 a.m., free,
RSVP to Elder Services, 508-394-4630,
ext. 453 (or walk in)
“Clown Around Town,” free story telling
for children in hospitals, 508-259-3006 or
www.clownaroundtown.net
COPD Support Group, 2nd Wednesday
month, 2-4 p.m., Orleans COA
Chronic Pain Support and exercise group
(Moving On), Mondays, 10:30-noon,
COA, Orleans, 508-255-6333, $5 per
session
Dare to Be Alive Foundation Inc., dedicated to organ transplants (recipients,
families, actual and potential donors),
3rd Tuesday month, 7-9 p.m., Cape
Cod Hospital, 508-398-1260 or www.
daretobealive.org
Daytime Bereavement Book Club, 2nd
Tuesday month, Bourne Public Library,
1-2 p.m., 508-743-0203 or kbogigian@
lifechoicehospice.com to sign up or for
information
Depression & Bipolar Support Group,
Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m., Cape Cod Medical Center conference room, 40 Quinlan
Way, Hyannis
Epilepsy Support Group for Adults with
Epilepsy, 2nd Monday month, 6-8 p.m.,
Cape Cod Hospital, Mugar Building,
Cummaquid Room,1-888-576-9996 or
support@efmarinhme.org
Faith-Based Cancer Support Group
(open to all faiths), St. Elizabeth Seton
Church, N. Falmouth, 508-563-7770
Families of Adults Afflicted with
Asperger’s Syndrome, 1st Tuesday
month, 7 p.m., First Lutheran Church, W.
Barnstable, 508-775-1412, faaas@faaas.
org or www.faaas.org
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
(no dues, fees or weigh-ins) weekly
meetings: Sunday-SCC, Sandwich,
9:30 a.m., 508-648-8780, Bonnie; Atria
Fairhaven, 6:30 p.m., 508-674-2128,
Paula; Monday-Barnstable Social Day
Center, Centerville, 508-280-2269, 508280-2269, Melissa; Tuesday-Church of
Good Shepherd, Wareham, 7 p.m., 508295-81656, Peggy K; Wednesday-Atria
Woodbriar Community, Falmouth, 6:30
p.m., 508-693-5418, Dorothy; YMCA
Wareham, 9 a.m., 508-992-4656, Carol
X; Friday-Church of Good Shepherd,
Wareham, 8 a.m., 5008-295-3819,
Rachel S; Saturday-Atria Woodbriar
Community, Falmouth, 9 a.m., 508-5644414; www.foodaddicts.org
FOCUS, 3rd Wednesday month, 4:30-6
p.m., VNA, Rt. 134, S. Dennis, 508-3942230 or 1-800-631-3900, ext. 274
Fibromyalgia Support Group, 4th
Thursday month, 5-6:30 p.m., SCC, 617875-2963 for information
Haven for Healing, Fridays, FH, 508564-6133
HAND, Helping After Neonatal Death,
support group for parents suffering a
pregnancy loss, 508-420-0762
H.O.P.E. (Helping Other Parents Endure
loss of baby), 2nd Wednesday month,
6:30-8:30 p.m., FH, 508-477-7305 or
508-457-4621
Huntington’s disease Cape Cod Family
Support Group, 2nd Wednesday month,
6:30-8 p.m., Hospice & Palliative Care of
Cape Cod, Hyannis, before attending first
group or for more information call Susan
Fencer-Cote, 508-957-0310, Ext. 246
Kennedy-Donovan Center Support
Groups for caregivers of individuals with
intellectual and developmental disabilities
(through June), 508-385-6091, ext. 125
or jdillon@kdc.org to register: Autism
Parent/Caregiver Support Group, 3rd
Wednesday month, 6-7:30 p.m. Dennis
Senior Center; Dennisport Area Parent/
Caregiver Support Group, 1st Tuesday
month, 6-7:30 p.m., Dennisport Public
Library; Mom/Caregiver Support Group,
1st Friday month, 9-10:30 a.m., Mashpee
Public Library
Life Choice Hospice’s Caregiver Support
Group for full-time caregivers, 4th Tuesday of every month, 12:30-2 p.m. Bourne
Public Library, contact Kathy Bogigian to
sign up in advance, 508-743-0203.
Medicare Counseling by appointment,
Orleans Senior Center, Tuesdays, 9:3011:30 a.m. 508-255-6333
Mended Hearts, Inc., CCH, third Thursday month, 4-5:30 p.m.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), 1st
Tuesday month, 508-362-9657 for details
(Meetings are fragrance-free and held in
conjunction with the Massachusetts Association for the Chemically Injured.)
Multiple Sclerosis Support Group, 3rd
Sunday month, 1-3 p.m., SCC, 508-
Fall 2014
945-2236
NAMI Cape Cod Support Groups
(508-778-4277 for details, including
Family-to-Family program): For friends
and family of people with mental illness:
Barnstable Village, St. Mary’s Episcopal
Church, third Tuesday month, 7-8:30
p.m., 508-364-9035; East Harwich, first
Thursday month, St. Peter’s Lutheran
Church, 774-722-0248; Falmouth, fourth
Monday month, Gus Canty Rec Center,
7-8:30 p.m., 508-428-4351; Sandwich,
second Tuesday, Lighthouse Christian
Fellowship, 7-8:30 p.m., 508-330-0305.
For people with mental illness: Orleans,
Saturdays, Federated Chhurch of
Orleans, 10-11:30 a.m., 774-722-0952;
Hyannis, first and third Monday month,
Hyannis RCC, 4-5:30 p.m., 744-2382272
New Parents Group. Call VNA of Cape
Cod, 508-394-2230
Nursing Mother’s Support Group,
sponsored by FH and Cape Cod WIC,
alternate Fridays, 9:30-11 a.m., & alternate Mondays, 7:30-9 p.m., at Women’s
Health Resource Center, FH; pregnant
women welcome; 508-771-7896 or 1
(800) 942-2445 for details
Nu-Voice Club of Cape Cod, 2nd Thursday month, 10:30 a.m., Yarmouth Senior
Center, 508-771-6902
Ostomy Association of Cape Cod, 508394-7385 or 508-255-7329
Overeaters Anonymous, 8 meetings on
Cape Cod, 508-428-9848 for information
Pancreatic cancer survivors support
group, 508-237-2030 for information
about meeting times and places
Parents in Touch, 2nd Friday month, 7
p.m., Life Services Rehabilitation Clinic,
Rte. 134, S. Dennis. 508-420-0771 or
508-362-1302
Parents of Children with Severe Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties, 7 p.m.
Call 508-775-1999
Parents of Diabetic Children, 2nd
Wednesday month, 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
Sandwich Library; call 508-477-8542 or
508-888-7054
Parents of Murdered Children
(P.O.M.C.), for information, 508-5400383 or 508-362-4014
Parkinson’s support, 2nd Monday month
(except holidays, then 3rd Monday),
1:30 p.m., 508-240-0276; Care Partners
Group, 508-896-9382, Dennis Senior
Center
Parkinson Support Network, contact
Rose DiGregorio at 508-862-4753 for
details (special courses available to
assist those afflicted with PD); Monthly
education series also conducted at
YMCA in West Barnstable, reservations
required, 800-651-8466 (Parkinson’s
Support Group of Plymouth meets last
Wednesday of month, at Spaulding
Outpatient Center in Plymouth, 2-3 p.m.,
781-871-0555 for information.)
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Group, for
information, 508-255-3468 or 508-8967251
Pregnant and Parenting Young Women,
1st & 3rd Thursday month, 7-8 p.m. Call
508-771-1102
Prostate Cancer Support Group for Cape
Cod, fourth Tuesday month, 9-11 a.m.,
(508-862-5302); CCH
REBUILDING: 10-week support group
for those ending long-term relationships,
90-minute weekly evening sessions,
small groups, $150, 508-771-2872
RESOLVE a support group for people
experiencing infertility. 508-564-6684
SAMARITAN SAFE PLACE support
groups for survivors of suicide loss meet
twice a month on Nantucket and in
Falmouth and Hyannis, 508-548-7999 for
details. Crisis lines are 1-800-893-9900
or 508-548-8900.
Spinal Cord Injury Support Group, first
Wednesday month, cafeteria, Spaulding
Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod, Sandwich, 6-7:30 p.m., jshea@capecodsci.org
Step Up 4 Kids, for parents of
children with behavioral or emotional
disorders (including bipolar disorder,
ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc.), last
Wednesday month, 6:30 p.m., Stop &
Shop Conference Room, Independence
Park, Hyannis, space limited, parents &
caregivers only, RSVP to 508-432-5880,
bobatly@yahoo.com or maryannmcdonnell@yahoo.com (more information at
www.stepup4kids.com)
Stop Smoking Program, free, CCH &
SCC, call 508-457-3627 for both sites
Straight Spouse Support Group,
sponsored by PFLAG, Yarmouthport, 3rd
Thursday month, 7 p.m., 958 Long Pond
Road, Brewster, call 508-432-8119 or
508-896-9060
Stroke Peer Home Visitation Program,
contact SCC @ 508-833-4043
Stroke Support Group, sponsored by the
VNA of Cape Cod, for stroke survivors
and families, 3rd Thursday month, 1-2:30
p.m., Dennis Senior Center, 1-877-2677700
Stroke Survivors Support Group, 2nd
Wednesday month, SCC, 508-833-4267
Support Group for Survivors of Sexual
Assault or Abuse, Thursdays, 5-6:30
p.m., Provincetown, 508-487-6333 for
information
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly),
Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., CCH, 508-
362-8856; Tuesdays, Dennis Memorial
Library, 5-7 p.m., 508-385-3501
Tourette Support Group, meets monthly
at CCH, call 508-420-1812 for day and
time
Veterans/Active Duty Caregiver Group,
Eastham Senior Center, 4th Wednesday
month, 9 a.m., 508-778-1622 or brooks.
reinhold@amedisys.com to pre-register
Violence Prevention Network, 3rd
Wednesday month, CCH, 9-11 a.m.,
508-771-1800, ext. 2667
Weekly Evening Exercise Classes,
Barnstable Senior Center, 508-862-4750
for information
Widowed Person Service of Cape Cod,
Inc., 508-430-2417
Widowed Person’s Support Group, 3rd
Wednesday month, Barnstable COA, 11
a.m.-noon
A Woman’s Concern, Pregnancy Health
Center, 48 Camp Street, Hyannis, 508790-0584, Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6
p.m.; free pregnancy testing, ultrasound,
referral network for medical care, housing, other social services.
UPPER CAPE
Addiction Family Support Groups,
sponsored by Gosnold on Cape Cod, 6-7
p.m., Tuesdays at Gosnold Counseling Center in Centerville, Wednesdays
at Gus Canty Community Center in
Falmouth, for information contact Jodi
Landers at jlanders@gosnold.org or
www.gosnold.org
Al-Anon, Sundays, 9:45 a.m., FH; 4 p.m.
Stop & Shop
Alcoholics Anonymous, Saturdays, 8
p.m., FH; Saturdays 9:30-10:30 a.m.,
SCC
Breast Cancer Support Group for
newly diagnosed women, 2nd & 4th
Monday month (except legal holidays),
12:30-2 p.m., Mashpee Health Center,
5 Industrial Drive; 1st & 3rd Tuesday
month, 1-2:30 p.m., FH; 508-862-5302,
508-457-3730, or 508-457-3669 for
information. Water Pals, free certified
Aquatic & Floor Exercise Program for
Women After Breast Cancer Surgery
(sponsored by FH, YWCA of SE Mass &
ATRIA-Woodbriar of Falmouth); 2 hours
weekly at ATRIA-Woodbriar Assisted
Living; for information & to register,
508-457-3669
Breastfeeding Support Group, Falmouth
Hospital, every other Tuesday, 10 a.m.noon in the Family Room of the Maternity
Department, free, light refreshments,
508-457-3630 for information
Compassionate Friends, 3rd Wednesday
month, 7:30 p.m., St. Peter’s Episcopal
Church, Buzzards Bay, 508-888-4977,
508-224-4202, 508-669-5217, 508-8131386
Parent Information Network (for
parents of children with mental/behavioral problems), Falmouth, 3rd Monday
month, 6:15-8:15 p.m.; call Joanne
Leonard, 508-947-8779, extension 25 for
information
Falmouth Healthy Living Series, Spaulding Cape Cod, Sandwich: Alcoholics
Anonymous, Saturdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m.;
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous,
Sundays, 9:30-11 a.m.; Aphasia Support
Group, 1st Wednesday month, 10-11:30
a.m.; Stroke Survivors, 2nd Wednesday
month, 1:30-3 p.m.; MS Support Group,
3rd Sunday month, 1-3 p.m. (preregistration required, 508-477-6048);
Early Onset Alzheimer’s, 4th Monday
month; Fibromyalgia Support Group,4th
Thursday month, 5-6:30 p.m., 617-8752963 to pre-register
Kennedy-Donovan Center Sandwich
Area Parent/Caregiver Support Group for
caregivers of individuals with intellectual
and developmental disabilities (through
June), 3rd Friday month, 10-11:30
a.m., Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital,
508-385-6091, ext. 125 or jdillon@kdc.
org to register
Parenting With Cancer, 1st Friday
month, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Mashpee
Health Center Board Room, for information or registration call FH Oncology
Services, 508-539-6210
Parenting Support Group for Mashpee
families with children up to 5 years of
age; Tuesdays, 10 a.m., Christ the King
Parish, call 508-548-0411 for details
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Support
Group, Falmouth, monthly, for information, call 508-457-0440
Postpartum Support Group, Tuesdays,
1-2:30 p.m., Women’s Health Resource
Center, FH, free, childcare provided. For
information call 508-548-0411
PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of
Lesbians & Gays, Bisexuals and Transgendered), 2nd Monday month, 7 p.m.,
CIGSYA House, Hyannis, 508-255-5354
(serves Upper and Mid-Cape)
Stroke Support, 2nd Tuesday month,
1:30-3 p.m., FH. 508-540-7641 or 508450-1531
Sight Loss Services Support Groups
Falmouth, 2nd Wednesday month, 10:30
a.m.-12:30 p.m., John Wesley Methodist
Church, Falmouth; Sandwich-Mashpee,
3rd Friday month, 10 a.m.-noon,
Sandwich COA; Falmouth-Bourne #2,
3rd Friday month, 10:30 a.m.-12:30
p.m., John Wesley Methodist Church,
Falmouth.
Cancer Support Groups
Breast Cancer Support Group, 1st & 3rd
Tuesday month, 1-2:30 p.m., Women’s
Health Resource Center, FH, 508-5480411, extension 0738
Falmouth Cancer Support Group, 2nd &
4th Wednesdays month, 1:30-3 p.m., FH,
508-548-3050
Lung Cancer Support Group, 1st
Thursday month, 1-2:30 p.m., FH, 508457-3730
MID/LOWER CAPE
Alcoholics Anonymous, Sundays, 6
p.m., CCH
Alcoholics Anonymous, Saturdays, 5:306:30 p.m. Call PASG, 508-487-9445
Cancer Support Group sponsored by
Helping Our Women (HOW), Mondays,
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Provincetown Senior
Center, 508-487-4357
Caregiver Support and Companion
Programs: Barnstable Senior Center,
2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 9:30-11 a.m.,
Beth Gilmore of Elder Services at 508394-4630, ext. 240 for details; Wellfleet
Council on Aging, 1st & 3rd Tuesdays,,
9:30-11 a.m., 508-394-4630, ext 212
for details
The Catholic Cancer Support Group,
2nd Tuesday month, 6 p.m., at Our Lady
of Victory, Centerville (the group is faith
based, but all are welcome; reservations
not needed), 508-771-1106 or 508-7755744 for information
Compassionate Friends, 2nd Wednesday month, 7 p.m., Harwich Community
Center, 508-237-7904, 508-398-8259
Helping Our Women (HOW) Women
from Provincetown to Eastham with
chronic and life threatening illness
support group, Tuesdays, 12:30-2 p.m.,
St. Mary of the Harbor, Provincetown;
Women with cancer, Mondays, 11:30
a.m.-1 p.m., Provincetown Senior
Center; Caregivers support group being
formed; Call 508-487-4357 weekdays
for information on dates, times and sites
or visit office, 336 Commercial St, #9,
Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Kennedy-Donovan Center Eastham Area
Parent/Caregiver Support Group for
caregivers of individuals with intellectual
and developmental disabilities (through
June), 4th Tuesday month, 10:30 a.m.noon, 508-385-6091, ext. 125 or jdillon@
kdc.org to register
Lyme Disease Support Group, 3rd Sunday month, Cape Cod Covenant Church,
Brewster, 508-398-1144; 3rd Tuesday
month, 7-9 p.m., Provincetown COA
National Osteoporosis Foundation Lower
Cape Support Group, 4th Wednesday
month, noon to 1 p.m., First United
Methodist Church, Chatham, for information and to register, 508-945-7551,
extension 243
Neuropathy Support Group, fourth
Wednesday month, 2-4 p.m., Orleans
Senior Center, January-May; 508-2557679 for information
New Parents Support Group for first-time
parents from Dennis, Yarmouth, Brewster & Harwich with infants less than
eight months old; free, pre-registration
required, 5-week program, call 1 (800)
631-3900, extension 6053 for new dates;
babies are welcome; VNA of Cape Cod,
434 Route 134, South Dennis
P.A.S.G. Drop-In Bereavement Group,
Wednesdays, 5-6:30 p.m. Call PASG
office, 508-487-9445
Parent Information Network (for parents
of children with mental/behavioral
problems), Hyannis, 2nd Tuesday month,
6-8 p.m.; Brewster, 4th Tuesday month,
6-8 p.m.; call Joanne Leonard, 508-9478779, extension 25 for information on
both groups
PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends
of Lesbians & Gays, Bisexuals and
Transgendered), 3rd Monday month-year
round, 7 p.m., First Parish U.U. Church,
Brewster, 508-432-8119
Caring & Sharing
Postpartum Depression Support Group,
Wednesdays, 5-6:30 p.m., The Cape
Cod Children’s Place, 508-240-3310
Cancer Support Groups
Lower Cape Cancer Support Group, 1st
& 3rd Monday month, 2-4 p.m., Wellfleet
Senior Center, 508-349-2800 or 508349-2437 (Free Reiki Clinic for women
with cancer Thursdays, 1:30-4:30 p.m.);
Harbor for Healing, Broad Reach Healthcare Campus, Route 28, N. Chatham,
508-432-8102 for appointment); Polly’s
Place Cancer Support, 1st and 3rd
Thursdays month, 6 p.m., First Lutheran
Church, W. Barnstable, 508-775-1412
Cancer Talk Support and Survival
Group for Women, Thursdays, 7-8:30
p.m., VNA, S. Dennis, 508-432-1452,
508-385-6302
Sight Loss Services Support Groups
Barnstable, 2nd Tuesday month, 11
a.m.-1 p.m., Unitarian Church of Barnstable; Brewster, 2nd Wednesday month,
11 a.m.-1 p.m., Brewster Ladies’ Library;
Eastham, 2nd Friday month, 10 a.m.noon, Eastham COA; Dennis-Yarmouth
#2, 3rd Tuesday month, 1-3 p.m., Swan
Pond Village, S. Yarmouth; Orleans, 3rd
Wednesday month, 10 a.m.-noon, Rock
Harbor Village; Wellfleet/Truro/Provincetown, 4th Monday month, 10 a.m.-noon,
Wellfleet COA; Chatham-Harwich, 4th
Fall 2014
Tuesday month, 10 a.m.-noon, Chatham
Housing; Dennis-Yarmouth #1, 4th
Wednesday month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.,
Carleton Hall, Dennis
Wellfleet Senior Center Wednesday
Club, 1-4 p.m., adult supportive day
care, congregate lunch available noon-1
p.m., 508-349-2800 or 508-349-0313 for
information (also available: Acupuncture
treatment, Tuesdays & Thursdays,
10:15-11:15 a.m.; Fleet Feet Walking
Group, Mondays & Thursdays, 8:30-9:30
a.m., $25 for 10 weeks, non-residents
accepted; Caregivers Support Group, 1st
& 3rd Tuesday month, 10-11:30 a.m.,
508-394-4630 for information and to register; Cancer Support Group, 1st and 3rd
Monday month, 2-4 p.m.; NAMI Support
Group, 4th Tuesday month, 6-8 p.m.;
Sight Loss Support Group, 4th Monday
month,.10 a.m.-noon)
EDUCATION
CAPEWIDE
Adaptive Sports & Recreation: Includes
golf, curling, horseback riding, kayaking,
fishing; various locations; 508-566-3298
or cmbautz@capeabileadventures.org
for information on times, dates, locations
& fees
Beacon Hospice Caregivers group and
educational series, 2nd and 3rd Tuesday
month. 4-5:30 p.m., Barnstable Senior
Center, free; Alzheimer’s specific caregivers series, 3rd Tuesday month, 4-5:30
p.m.; for requested pre-registration and
further details contact Brooks Reinhold
at 508-778-1622, ext. 115 or brooks.
reinhold@amedisys.com
“Battered Women and Addiction,” fiveweek online course for professionals in
the field, for information call 508-7527313
Birth Defects/Genetic Counseling CCH,
508-771-1800, ext. 2253, appointments
required
Bridges Associates, Inc, Take Charge
Programs: Coach Training: At Home
Family Coaching: Bridging Out Program,
Stories of Resilience; Think & Grow
community Group Programs; Think Tank;
508-362-7692, 800-790-1890, www.
bridgesaccosiates.com for information
Cape Cod Center for Whole Health
(Mashpee), Usui Reiki Clinic, 3rd
Tuesday month, 10 a.m.-noon; Exploring
Meditation, 2nd Tuesday month, 10-11
a.m.; $5 donation requested, 508-5392885 or cccwh@capecod.net for details
Diabetes Education/Support Dennis
Senior Center, 1st Wednesday month,
10-11 a.m., 508-385-5067; Yarmouth
Town Hall, 2nd Wednesday month, 10:30
a.m.-noon, 1 (800) 631-3900, extension
6022
Elder Services Cape Cod & Islands,
programs for caregivers, for general
information, 508-394-4630, extension
181, or 1-800-244-4630; Brewster
COA, 508-896-2737; Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled (CORD),
508-775-8300; Friends of the Barnstable
COA, 508-862-4750; Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 508-862-4750;
Chatham & Orleans Councils on Aging,
508-255-6333; Overlook VNA, 508-8620200; Yarmouth COA, 508-394-7606;
Barnstable County Department of Human
Services, 508-375-6628; Wellfleet COA,
508-349-2800
“Family-to-Family, 12-week program for
family caregivers sponsored by NAMI
Cape Cod, free, 508-778-4277 or 508778-0650 for information or to register in
next session
Integrative Medicine and Holistic Wellness Center Workshops: Introductory
sessions on Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m.,
Hyannis, free; other workshops offered
on food and aging, 508-790-0606 for
information on topics and directions
KICK BUTTS: Monthly classes, call
CCHC, 1-877-729-7200, for all sites;
also Thursday nights, 7-8 p.m., Marstons
Mills, $10 per session
La Leche League for breastfeeding mothers and expectant mothers, for Upper
Cape meetings, call Deb (508-375-0119)
or Robin (508-539-3088); or 1-800-LA
LECHE; for information elsewhere on
Cape, call Carolyn at 508-255-8521,
Gabrielle at 508-349-3988, Sara at
508-896-5611 or Cole in season at
508-487-6979
LifeCare Conversations for Family
Caregivers Workshops, sponsored by
The Center For Life Care, Planning and
Support, Hospice & Palliative Care of
Cape Cod, 508-957-0230 or lifecare@
hospicecapecod.org for information
American Cancer Society “Look Good...
Feel Better” Program, free, 1-800-ACS2345 for details on sites and dates and
to pre-register
Massage therapy, SCC Sandwich (508833-410) and Orleans (508-240-7203),
fee varies with length of time of session
Nutrition Free nutritious food for qualified
pregnant and post partum women,
infants and children under WIC program;
eight sites on Cape Cod & Islands; 1
(800) 942-2445 during regular office
hours
Osteoporosis prevention & exercise
class, Hyannis COA, Mondays and
Wednesdays, 10 30-11:30 a.m.
Parent Education Program, free, Hyannis & Falmouth, call MSPCC 1 (800)
272-9722
Positive Psychology Groups, for patients,
care-partners & family, sponsored by
SCC, directed by John S. Allen, PhD,
health psychologist, 508-833-4117 or
www.spauldingnetiwork.org
Pulmonary Rehab, Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-3
p.m., CCH, must refer through hospital,
508-771-1800, ext. 2223
Parkinson’s Disease Wellness, six-week
exercise program, Tuesdays and
Thursdays, 12:30-2 p.m. or 1-2:30 p.m.,
SCC-Sandwich, Harwich, Wareham,
$199, physician’s approval required, 508833-4197 to register or for information
RED CROSS Courses available on
First Aid Basics with Adult CPR ($50);
Community CPR ($50), Community
First Aid and Safety ($65), Pet First Aid
($35), CPR for the Professional ($80),
CPR Review and Challenge ($35 for
Community CPR/$40 for CPR/FPR),
Babysitter’s Training Course ($40), call
for dates; Instructor courses in CPR, First
Aid, AED’s and Babysitting available
monthly, call for details; Call Cape Cod
Chapter in Hyannis, 508-775-1540 for
information on all courses. Visit www.
capecodredcross.org
SCC Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, Cape Cod Apartments, Falmouth,
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9-10 a.m. and
Sandwich 3-4 p.m.; $35 for 8 classes,
trial class free, pre-registration required,
508-743-0465
“Self-Help for Your Health,” hypnosis
and EFT, free introductory classes, fee
courses on pain control and smoking
cessation, 508-240-0024
Stroke Education/Support Group, last
Monday month, 6:30-7:30 p.m., free,
Dennis Senior Center, 508-385-5067
Supermarket Shopping Tours, registered
dietician instructs consumers on how to
shop smart, nutritionally, sponsored by
CCH Center for Health Education, small
fee, 1-877-729-7200
Cape Cod WIC Family Tobacco Education Program, free quit smoking classes,
508-775-2727 to register
VNA of Cape Cod Hospice Volunteer
Training, 508-957-7709
“Water Pals,” Aquatic Program for Women Recovering from Breast Cancer Surgery, conducted by CCHC Rehabilitation
Services, Gold’s Gym, Radisson Hotel,
Hyannis, 12-week series recommended,
$5 per session, 508-771-9600, extension
225, for information or enrollment
Water Wellness Aquatics Program,
Broad Reach Outpatient Rehabilitation
Clinic, N. Chatham, 8-week sessions;
call Maria McGrady for information,
508-945-3668
Weight Reduction Series, Mayflower
Place Fitness Center, West Yarmouth,
$30 for six-part series or $6 per session;
508-790-0200, extension 159, or 1 (800)
245-8389 for information
Women’s Wellness Series, Chatham
Health Improvement Center, Chatham;
monthly series on different issues; 508945-3555
Young at Heart, Weight Training for
Seniors, meets three times a week
throughout the Cape; 10-week sessions,
minimal fee, doctor’s approval required,
for information and locations call VNA of
Cape Cod, 1-877-267-7700
“Reach the Children” free workshops,
6:30-8:30 p.m., sponsored by Mashpee
Community Partnership Program, Special
Needs Parents Advisory Council, Young
Children First Falmouth Community
Partnership Program; for information call
Cape Cod Human Services, 508-7903326
“WOW! Way of Wellness,” with Dr. Kevin
Lowey, D.C., check your local access
cable station for schedule
MID/LOWER CAPE
Alcohol & drug abuse counseling for
seniors, Grace Gouveia Building, Provincetown, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday
(detox hospitalization, 508-487-7080 for
appointment); Mental Health Counseling,
508-487-7080 for appointment, Monday,
Thursday, Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Home
Assessment for Nursing and Home
Health, 508-487-7080 for appointment,
Monday, Thursday, Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.;
Provincetown Ask A Nurse, Mondays,
9-10 a.m., Grace Gouveia Building,
508-487-7083 for information or private
appointment
Anti-Aging & Health Improvement Series,
Orleans COA, Carol Penfield, RN, MS,
MPc, presented by Nauset Community
Education, 508-255-6333 for information
Baby Massage Class for Mother and
Child, Thursdays or Saturdays, 12:302:30 p.m., Women’s Body Shoppe; 508771-1600 or 508-362-3543 to register
Barnstable Senior Center Exercise
Programs: varied programs, some free,
others $20-$40, early evenings, must
RSVP, 508-862-4750
Better Breathing Program, new 8-week
courses offered by SCC at the SCCOrleans Outpatient Rehabilitation Center,
21 Old Colony Way, 508-240-7203; referral required, fee covered by Medicare
and most insurance
Brooks Free Library in Harwich Expanding Horizons Wednesday Lecture series,
1-2:30 p.m., health care programs,
508-430-7562 for details
Childbirth Preparation Classes, 7-8:30
p.m., Mondays, 6-week sessions, Cape
Cod Children’s Place, N. Eastham,
call for dates and registration 1 (800)
871-9535, free (sponsored by the March
of Dimes)
Children’s Pre-Surgery Tour, CCH, 2nd
& 4th Wednesday month, 3:30-4 30 p.m.
for child and family. 508-862-7603
EASTHAM SENIOR CENTER PROGRAMS: Yoga for All, new beginner’s
class, Tuesdays, 8:30 a.m., $5 per session, 508-255-6164; Tai’ Chi for Everyone, new beginner’s class, Thursdays, 9
a.m., $5 per class, 508-255-6164; Coping
with New Challenges, 1st Wednesday
month, 9 a.m., 508-778-1622 or brooks.
reinhold@amedisys.com to pre-register
Family Birthplace at CCH, 2009 Schedule, 508-862-5123 to sign up:
Early Bird Prenatal Workshop, 4th Friday
month, 7 p.m., $5 per couple,
Birth & Beyond; a family experience,
monthly, 6:30 p.m., 5 classes, CCH,
$25 per couple, (Mondays, Tuesdays or
Wednesdays)
Labor Express, one-time prenatal class,
offered quarterly on a Saturday, $25 per
couple,
Breathing & Relaxation, monthly, $10
per couple
VBAC Class (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), 4th Wednesday every other month,
7:30 p.m., $5 per couple
Infant-Child CPR, 4th Monday month, 6
p.m., $15 per person, must register at
least one month in advance
Our New Baby, 4th Wednesday month,
$3 per child (space limited, early registration suggested)
Mothers Support Group, Fridays, 10
a.m.-noon, free
Portuguese Prenatal, 4th Wednesday
every other month, 7:30 .p.m.
Fatherhood Initiative Pizza Party, every
other month
Infant/Child CPR Certification classes
twice yearly (October & May), call
for dates and registration, Cape Cod
Children’s Place, N. Eastham, 1 (800)
871-9535
Sojourner’s Bereavement Support Group,
eight weekly sessions, St. Christopher’s
Episcopal Church, Chatham, 1-2:30
p.m.; $10 fee requested; pre-registration
requested; for dates, call 508-432-9147
or 508-945-4611
Young at Heart Weight Training, 8-week
program, Tuesdays & Thursdays,
9-10 a.m., physician’s written approval
required; Provincetown COA; call Maryanne at 508-487-7080 to register. (Cosponsors CCHC & VNA of Cape Cod).
Free to Provincetown residents, Outer
Cape seniors welcome for $2 donation
UPPER CAPE
FH Childbirth Education Classes (to
register for any of these courses, 508457-3632; scholarships available)
FH-Joslin Clinic offering 10-week exercise program for people with diabetes,
two mornings per week, for information
or to register call 508-457-3525
Preparation For Birth 5-week sessions,
$60, 7-9:30 p.m.; call for dates
Infant & Pediatric CPR-two sessions, $25
per person, call for dates
Labor Express, one-time prenatal class,
$60/couple
Sibling class, call for dates, 4-5 p.m., one
class, free
Breast feeding support group, Thursdays,
10 a.m.-noon
Breast feeding, Thursdays, 7-9:30 p.m.,
free
Breast feeding clinic, Tuesdays and
Thursdays, by appointment only, 508457-3630
Birth refresher classes, Tuesday, 7-9:30
p.m., one class, $10 couple
Newborn care, free
Prenatal & Postpartum Yoga, 508-5662531 or brithblessingsyoga@comcast.net
for information
Cape Heritage Rehabilitation & Nursing
Center Breakfast Club, 9-10 a.m., free,
Route 6A, Sandwich; Call 508-888-8222
for schedule and to register
Optional classes (offered as needed) preconception, adoption, smoking cessation
for pregnant women, Cesarean birth (call
for private session), private birth classes
(available days, evenings & weekends as
needed, $25 per hour)
CLINICS/SCREENINGS
CAPEWIDE
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF
CAPE COD, Mashpee, a non-profit
Federally Qualified Health Center that
provides access to health care for
adults and children with MassHealth,
Commonwealth Care, Medicare, private
insurance, or no insurance at all.
Services include primary and preventive
care, dental care, behavioral health,
coordinated case management, and
prescription assistance, at locations in
Falmouth, Mashpee and Bourn, www.
chcofcapecod.org or 508-477-7090.
FAMILY CONTINUITY PROGRAM, serv-
ing the needs of children and families in
crisis with services ranging from mental
health treatment in our clinic or in the
home to supported housing for mentally
disabled adults at Larry Doughty House,
508-862-0273, www.familycontinuity.org
FREE, ANONYMOUS HIV, hepatitis B
& C and syphilis testing/counseling from
Falmouth to Provincetown offered by
AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod and
Infectious diseases Clinical Services,
free Hep A &B vaccines, 508-274-5428
or 866-990-2437 for details
Healthy Living Series, Spaulding Cape
Cod, Sandwich, second Wednesday
month, free, pre-registration required,
508-833-4141
Life Line Screenings Three tests for
cardiovascular risk, plus bone density;
$35-$40 per test, discounts for three or
more, registration 24 hours in advance
required, 1 (800) 407-4557
Ostomy Clinics, 2nd and 4th Wednesday
month, 8 a.m.-noon, VNA of Cape Cod,
Dennis, free, doctor’s approval required,
508-957-7476 for appointment
VNA CLINICS AND SUPPORT GROUPS
(listed by town)
(NOTE: These activities generally
follow a similar pattern, such as “1st
& 3rd Wednesday of the month.” Just
call ahead to verify dates, times and
location.)
NOTE: Free Ostomy Clinics 2d & 4th
Wednesday month, VNA office in South
Dennis, call VNA intake department at
508-957-7476 for appointment, prior
approval from doctor required.
NOTE: Appointments now being accepted to receive the Shingles Vaccine
at Dennis office on route 134; applicants
must be 50 or older, appointments mandatory, contact Public Health & Wellness,
508-957-7423
BOURNE: Child and Adolescent Immunization and Lead Screening Clinic,
Falmouth VNA Office, town residents
only, appointments required, 508-9577423, bring immunization record; Blood
Pressure Clinics, Wednesdays, 9:30-11
a.m., Bourne Senior Center, 508- 7590654
BREWSTER: Child and Adolescent
Immunization and Lead Screening
Clinic, town residents only, appointments
required, S. Dennis VNA office, 508-7597423, bring immunization record; Health
Counseling/Blood Pressure Check, (with
blood sugar screening), Brewster Council
on Aging, 508- 896-2737
CHATHAM: Child and Adolescent Immunization and Lead Screening Clinic,
VNA S. Dennis Office, town residents
Pressure Clinics: Wednesdays, 9-11
a.m. Chatham Council on Aging, 508945-5190
DENNIS: Child and Adolescent Immunization and Lead Screening Clinic, VNA
S. Dennis Office, town residents only,
appointments required, 508-957-7423,
bring immunization record; TB Clinics,
VNA S. Dennis Office, $20, appointments required 508-957-7423; Adult
Immunization Clinic, VNA S. Dennis
Office, appointment required, 508-9577423; Cholesterol Screening, Dennis
Council on Aging, appointment required,
508-385-5067, $7.50 fee; Health
Counseling and Blood Pressure Check,
Dennis Council on Aging, 508-385-5067;
Blood Glucose Screening Clinic, Dennis
Council on Aging, 508-385-5067; Dennis
Stroke Support Group, Dennis Council
on Aging, 508-385-5067;
EASTHAM: Child and Adolescent Immunization and Lead Screening Clinic, VNA
bring immunization record
FALMOUTH: Child and Adolescent
Immunization and Lead Screening Clinic,
VNA Falmouth Office, town residents
only, appointments required, 508-9577423, bring immunization record; Adult
Immunization Clinic, VNA Falmouth
Office, appointment required, 508-9577423; TB Clinics, $20, Falmouth VNA
Office, 508-957-7423 for appointment;
Blood Pressure Clinics, Thursdays
1:30-3 p.m., Falmouth Senior Center,
508-540-0196; Blood Glucose Screening,
Falmouth Senior Center, 508-540-0196;
Blood Pressure Clinic, Harborview Apartments, 508-957-7423 for appointment;
Bone Density (Osteoporosis) Screening,
Falmouth Senior Center, appointment
required, 508-540-0196; Breast Cancer
Support Groups, Women’s Health
Resource Center, Faxon Wing, Falmouth
Hospital, 508- 457-3669
HARWICH: Child and Adolescent Immunization and Lead Screening Clinic, VNA
MASHPEE: Blood Pressure Clinic,
Mashpee Senior Center, 508-539-1440;
Child and Adolescent Immunization and
Lead Screening Clinic, VNA Falmouth
Office, town residents only, appointments
required, 508-957-7423, bring immunization record
ORLEANS: Child and Adolescent Immunization and Lead Screening Clinic,
Pressure Clinics, Tonset Woods, Town
Hall, Rock Harbor Village, Orleans COA,
508- 255-6333
PROVINCETOWN: Child and Adolescent
Pressure Clinics, (with Blood Sugar
Screening) Provincetown Office of Public
Health, 508- 487-7083
TRURO: Child and Adolescent Immunization and Lead Screening Clinic, VNA
WAREHAM: Blood Pressure and Health
Counseling, Thursdays, 9-10 a.m.
Wareham Senior Center, 508-291-3130
YARMOUTH: Child and Adolescent
only, appointments required, 508-9577423, bring immunization record; Health
Counseling, Blood Pressure, and Blood
Sugar Screenings, Yarmouth Town Hall,
508- 398-2231
(The VNA of Cape Cod is currently
accepting appointments to receive the
Shingles Vaccine at the Dennis office on
Route 134. All participants must be 50
years of age or older. Appointments are
required, contact Public Health & Wellness, 508-957-7423.)
UPPER CAPE
Cape Cod Free Clinic in Falmouth, free
health care for uninsured adults, 508540-7075 for appointment information
Fit To Be Kids Weight Management,
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5 p.m., ages
6-14, SCC-Sandwich, 8-week program,
$240, 508-833-4197
Free Hearing Screenings, 2nd Wednesday month, by appointment, SCC-Sandwich, 508-833-4141
“Free Dental Service,” one Sunday a
month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Direct Pay Dental
Care of Falmouth, appointments only,
508-524-3732
Glucose screening, 3rd Wednesday
month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., CVS Pharmacy,
Falmouth Mall; last Thursday month,
8:30-10:30 a.m., Falmouth Senior Center, 1 (800) 631-3900, extension 6022;
3rd Tuesday month, Wareham VNA,
508-760-6514
Reiki Free Clinic, 3rd Sunday month, 3-5
p.m., FCTV-Maser Gallery, Falmouth,
508-524-5040, falmouthreiki@yahoo.com
SCC for Children Pediatric Orthopedic Clinic, last Friday month with Dr.
Seymour Zimbler of the Medical Staff at
Children’s Hospital Boston, 617-3552411 for information or appointment
SANDWICH NURSING DEPARTMENT
PROGRAMS (270 Quaker Meetinghouse
Road, 508-833-8020 for all program information/appointments; Blood Pressure
Clinics-1st Thursday month: Sandwich
Public Health Nursing Department, Human Services Building, Quaker Meeting
House Road, 11 a.m.-noon, walk-ins,
Sandwich residents; Shawme Heights
One, 5 Leveridge Lane, 9:30-10:30
a.m.; Sandwich Housing Authority,
Hansen Village, 11-11:30 a.m. Adult
Immunization Clinics-1st Tuesday month,
8:30-9:30 a.m., appointments required,
Sandwich residents. Well Women’s
Clinics-508-833-8020 for information and
appointment
MID/LOWER CAPE
Diabetes Associates, 1st Monday month,
CCH, 7 p.m.; also Thursdays 10 a.m-3
p.m.; must refer through hospital, 508771-1800, ext. 2559
Diabetic screenings Brewster, 3rd Tuesday 8-10 a.m., Brewster COA, 1673 Main
St. Call VNA of Cape Cod at 1 (800) 6313900, extension 6022; Provincetown, 2nd
Tuesday month, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Grace
Gouveia Building, free to residents, walkins welcome, 508-487-7083; Yarmouth,
1st and 3rd Wednesday month, 11
a.m.-noon, Yarmouth Town Hall, 1 (800)
631-3900, extension 6022; Dennis, 4th
Wednesday month, 9-10:30 a.m., Dennis
COA, (fasting blood sugar test...do not
eat morning of test), signup not required,
508-385-5067
Endocrinology Clinic, CCH, appointments
required, 508-771-1800, ext. 2253
Family Planning Hyannis--Free pregnancy testing Tuesdays 1-6 p.m., Fridays
9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; family planning clinics
daily, call 508-771-8010 for information &
appointment
Hearing Clinic, 3rd Thursday month,
Barnstable COA
Hepatitis A Immunizations, MondayThursday-Friday, 9-11 a.m., Grace Gouveia Building, Provincetown, available at
cost, call 508-487-7083 for appointment
OUTER CAPE HEALTH SERVICES:
Harwich Community Health Center.
Mon-Fri: 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat: 9 a.m.- 5
p.m.; Provincetown Health Center, MonFri: 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.;
Wellfleet Health Center, Mon-Fri: 8 a.m.7 p.m., Sat: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Pharmacy in
Wellfleet, Mon-Fri: 8 a.m.- 7 p.m., Sat: 9
a.m.-5 p.m., Sun: 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Overlook VNA Blood Pressure Screen-
ings, 54 Sea St. Ext., Hyannis, 2nd
Wednesday month, 11 a.m.-noon;
Cape Cod Apartments, Falmouth, 2nd
Wednesday month, 10-11 a.m.; Cromwell
Courts, Hyannis, 2nd Thursday month,
2-3 p.m.
Orleans COA offers programs on
general fitness, People with Arthritis
Can Exercise (PACE), chronic pain,
stress management and Alzheimer’s
Caregivers support; call 508-255-6333
for information
Pediatric Neurology Clinic, CCH, appointments required, 508-771-1800, ext. 2253
Reiki Clinic, 3rd Thursday month.
Osterville Fitness Center, 7:15 p.m., $3,
508-428-1654
Pre-School Immunization Clinics (most
include lead screening):
Chatham, 2nd Tuesday month, 1-2
p.m., 1250 Main St., 1 (800) 631-3900,
extension 6053
Eastham, Wellfleet & Truro 3rd Thursday
month, 1-3 p.m., Eastham Commons,
1 (800) 631-3900, extension 6053 for
appointment
Harwich, 2nd Tuesday month, 1-3 p.m.,
Harwich Town Hall, for appointment call
Sheila Griffin at 508-240-1100 or 1 (800)
696-0303
Orleans, 2nd Tuesday month, 3-4 p.m.,
Orleans Elementary School, includes
lead screening, for information call
Meredith Hamilton, 508-945-2869 or 1
(800) 987-9784
Provincetown, Public Health Office, 4th
Thursday month, 1-3 p.m., 508-487-6110
for appointment
Harwich, 2nd Tuesday month, 1-3
p.m., Harwich Town Hall, call VNA at
1 (800) 696-3900, extension 6053 for
appointment
Dennis, Yarmouth, Brewster, 2nd Tuesday month, 9-noon, VNA of Cape Cod,
434 Route 134, S. Dennis, appointment
required, 1 (800) 631-3900, extension,
6053
SCC Aquatic Physical Therapy at
Mayflower Place Retirement Community,
West Yarmouth, twice-weekly (in addition
to main hospital in Sandwich), 508-7711300 for information or appointment
ACTIVITIES
Parkinson Support Network of Cape Cod,
2013 Education Series, YMCA Cape
Cod in West Barnstable, November 8, 11
a.m.-12:30 p.m. (seating begins at 10:30
a.m.); 1-800-651-8466 or information@
apdama.org for required reservations or
information
Pilates School, Harwich, exercise
classes for women who have undergone
surgery for breast cancer, 508-43322111 or www.thepilatesschool.com for
information
Southcoast Center for Weight Loss, free
monthly information sessions on gastric
bypass surgery: the Cape Codder,
Hyannis; Tobey Hospital, Wareham;
White’s of Westport; Southcoast Center
for Women’s Health, North Dartmouth;
John Carver Inn, Plymouth; 4th Tuesday,
Benjamin’s Restaurant, Taunton; 508273-4900 to register or for information on
times and dates
Hope Dementia & Alzheimer’s Services
Music & Conversations Support Groups
for people with memory impairment
and their care partners funded by local
Cultural Councils on Cape Cod (for
required advance registration & information, 508-775-5656, HopeDementia.
org for updates and new locations):
Eastham Senior Center Health-Related
Activities: Parkinson’s Dance, Movement
& Exercise Groups, Tuesdays, 10:30
a.m.-noon, free, drop-ins welcome;
Alzheimer’s Specific Group, 2nd and 3rd
Tuesdays month. 10:30 a.m.-noon; Sit &
Be Fit Class, Mondays & Wednesdays,
11 a.m. suggested $1 donation; Senior
Exercise Class, Tuesdays & Thursdays,
noon, $5 charge; Yoga, Tuesdays 8:30
a.m., Thursdays 8 a.m., $5, bring your
own mat; Tai’ Chi, Thursdays 9:30 a.m.,
$5; 508-255-6164 for information.
Beacon Hospice programs--Healing from
Loss: Stories of the Heart, Tuesdays,
9-10:30 a.m., Borsari Gallery, Dennis,
free; Caregivers Reflection Time:
educational series open and free to any
type of caregiver, 2nd & 4th Tuesdays,
3-4:30 p.m., Barnstable Senior Center,
pre-registration requested; contact
brooks.reinhold@amedisys.com or 508778-1622 for information or to register for
either program.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dementia Certificate Level Two: Behavior
and Medication Management: November
10, four-hour program designed for professionals; Dementia Certificate Level One
required; CEs available, 12:30-4:30 p.m.,
HopeHealth headquarters, Hyannis, $100
fee includes materials; 508-775-5656,
www.HopeDementia.org/ProfessionalEducation or info@HopeDementia.org for
more information or to register.
Death Café: Exploring the sacred and
unexplained in Life and death: November
6, 9:30-11 a.m., Beacon Hospice, 508778-1622 X115 or brooks.reinhold@
amedisys.com to RSVP.
CC5’s Savarese In Football And Social Security
Makes Top Ten A Good Game Plan Is Essential
For the third straight year,
American Banker Magazine has included Cape Cod Five President/
CEO Dorothy A. Savarese on its list
of “25 Most Powerful Women in
Banking” and this year she’s made
it to No. 10.
The
women
named
to
the list are selected based on
their professional achievements, their contribution to the success of their organization, and their
influence within the financial services industry.
The magazine characterized Ms. Savarese as a dynamic leader of a bank that “regularly outperforms
its much larger competitors.” And noted that under her leadership, The Cape Cod Five Cents Savings
Bank has grown to more than $2.5 billion in assets.
Last year, through bank sponsorships and grants from its
foundation, Cape Cod Five provided more than $950,000
in financial support to community based organizations.
Ms. Savarese, described as a “tireless community
leader and volunteer” at both the local and national
level, recently was nominated as Vice Chairman of the
American Bankers Association, and she also serves on
the FDIC Advisory Committee on Community Banking, as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Cape Cod
Community College, and on the Boards of Gosnold on
Cape Cod and The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.
Following 12 years in key management positions, Ms.
Savarese became President and CEO of the Cape Cod
Five in 2005. She also serves as Chairman of the Board
of Directors and Executive Committee of The Cape Cod
Five Cents Savings Bank and Chairman of The Cape Cod
Five Cents Savings Bank Charitable Foundation Trust. The American Bankers Association is the primary national organization that represents and supports the banking industry. The ABA provides numerous services and benefits to its member banks,
all of which help them to be more successful.
The bank recently hosted its annual Community
Commitment Meeting at the Resort and Conference
Center in Hyannis. During the session, area nonprofit
organizations and public schools supported by the
bank and its foundation were recognized and thanked
for the difference they make in the community.
Ms. Savarese said that last year, between sponsorships and foundation grants, support for communitybased organizations exceeded $950,000 for a total of
nearly $6 million over the last 10 years.
She also highlighted grants to area public schools as
part of the Foundation’s Educational Mini-Grants Program. This past year, 95 educational mini-grants totaling
just over $40,000 were awarded to area public schools.
Since 2000, the foundation trust has awarded nearly a
quarter of a million dollars in educational mini-grants.
She also unveiled a new website, www.CapeCodFiveFoundationMiniGrants.org, which provides a forum for
teachers to share information and ideas and facilitates
the replication of the innovative, low-cost projects funded by the mini-grants program in additional schools.
BIZ BITS
Hope Dementia & Alzheimer’s Services, part of the
HopeHealth family of services, announces it has been
able to expand its CARES program, thanks to a grant
from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation.
The CARES support group model provides an opportunity for people with memory impairment and
their care partners to participate in two separate support groups—held simultaneously. One group provides information, guidance and respite to caregivers
while the other group provides conversation and socialization for those with memory impairment.
Currently CARES groups are held monthly in 13
locations in eastern Massachusetts, including Bourne,
Carver, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Harwich, Mashpee
and Wellfleet. The funding from the Tufts Health Plan
Foundation will enable the organization to add three
meetings per month within HopeHealth’s service area.
The Tufts Health Plan Foundation’s mission is to
promote healthy lifestyles and the delivery of quality
care in the community. With a focus on healthy aging,
the foundation funds Massachusetts and Rhode Island
nonprofits that elevate the physical, mental and emotional well-being of older adults and their caregivers.
•
By Kristen Alberino,
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
Given that football season is upon us, now’s an appropriate occasion to trot out a gridiron analogy.
Good coaching and a great playbook can make
all the difference in the world for a winning football
team. Fail to create a sound game plan, and you’re
likely to miss opportunities and fall behind.
The same is true for retirement—except you call
the plays, including when to retire and how much to
save. If you walk onto the retirement field without a
game plan, you may have to work longer than you had
hoped. You certainly don’t want to find yourself unable
to have the comfortable retirement you envisioned.
You may have to call your own financial plays, but
Social Security has tools to help you decide what options might be successful in any given situation.
For example, how much can you expect to get from
Social Security? How much more if you worked a year
longer? Two years? What about your spouse? Are you
saving enough in addition to your expected Social Security benefits?
By simply visiting www.socialsecurity.gov, you can
answer all these questions. You will find several financial planning tools, including our easy-to-use and secure Retirement Estimator to obtain quick retirement
estimates based upon your own earnings record. It’s
like training camp for financial planning.
Simply provide some information about yourself to
verify who you are for security purposes—name, Social Security number, date and place of birth, mother’s
maiden name, and an estimate of last year’s earnings.
The Retirement Estimator will then create Social Security benefit estimates based on your entire career earnings record, including what you could receive if you
retire at age 62, what you could receive at your full retirement age, and how much if you work until age 70.
Interested in other play options, such as what will
happen if you made more money in the future? Or if
you want to stop work at a different age than the three
we show you? You can always try out alternate game
plans using the Retirement Estimator if you change
your mind about your initial retirement plans.
The last thing you want to do is depend on a “Hail
Mary” pass when it comes to your retirement. For a
good game plan, the best place to begin is at www.
socialsecurity.gov.
(Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to create your own my Social Security account. And if
you would like to host a my Social Security signup event for your employees, consumers or clients,
contact me via email at Kristen.Alberino@ssa.gov.)
Don’t Wallow In That Pitfall,
It’s A Hurdle To Be Leaped
By Melissa Murphy
“Why do I always get caught up in the pitfalls of
life, get stuck and feel defeated?”
A great question, but is it the “right” question?
My candid reply, “Not all pitfalls are negative. Actually, some are the hallways to new opportunities and
growth, what if you reflected on this?”
The response? Usually an extremely curious look.
What one may find as a pitfall, another perceives
as merely a small hurdle en route to the next step. Often times we don’t realize we’re headed into a pitfall,
until we’re there, then the real wisdom lies in how
you pull yourself out and what you learn so you can
grow through it. That answer can only come through
reflection.
None of us can achieve success without a few perceived pitfalls along the way. As Thomas Edison once
said, “I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways
that won’t work.”
Thankfully, he didn’t wallow in the pitfall; he embraced it. And, now we simply turn on a switch and
have light!
Here are just a few examples of pitfalls to avoid and
why or how to turn them around:
Too many people focus on the problem instead of
the solution: Fear, doubt and insecurity prevent many
people from actually living a full life. What are you
afraid of? What is it that you doubt? What worries
you? We all can choose our outcome, as long as we
take action toward the final goal.
Trying to be someone else: Be who you were meant
to be. You are unique, your past stories or current circumstances don’t define your future. Avoid seeking
approval of others or wanting what others have. Most
will keep you small as they don’t want you to be larger
than themselves. Trying to be someone or something
you truly are not is not living, it’s existing. Live your
life and make it count.
Keep doing it the same as you always have: Albert
Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing
over and over again and expecting different results…
We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of
thinking we used when we created them.” We must
change/challenge our perspective to create new thinking and therefore new outcomes.
Can you identify with any of the above? See how
many “pitfalls” you can turn into a success.
(Ms. Murphy is a Certified Transformational Coach
and founding partner of Insight of Success, LLC, a
Coaching, speaking & teaching company, www.insightofsuccess, mmurphy@insightofsuccessllc.com or
774-993-9698.)
Cape Cod Young Professionals announces it has
received a $50,000 grant from The Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to
launch a Career Connect Mentor Exchange Program.
The goal is to support our local workforce by offering
mentoring to those starting, changing, or advancing
in their careers or starting or growing a business.
Full mentoring options will include one-to-one
pairs and small groups that will meet from October
through May, although there also will be a few a special events to allow one-time conversations with mentors for those unable to make a full commitment. And
the application process already has begun.
Research has shown that people who have been
mentored are more likely to have greater job satisfaction, be promoted, receive raises, and to express greater perceived overall career success. Also, new businesses whose founders have been mentored generally are
much more likely to survive five years or more.
Mentoring Exchange Programming Partners were
listed as Nancy Hardaway, founder and president of
Listening 2 Leaders, a Massachusetts OSD Certified
business, and Peter Karlson, founder of the NeuEon
company and affiliated with the Cape Cod Chamber
of Commerce as its Entrepreneur in Residence.
For more information on the program, contact
www.capecodyoungprofessionals.org or 508-714-2201.
•
The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has an-
nounced the addition of R. Christopher Adams of
Barnstable Village to its staff. A lieutenant with Centerville-Osterville-Marstons Mills Fire Department and
involved in local marine businesses, he will work in
several areas, including public policy advocacy, community development and member services.
Also, Karen Cummings has been promoted to Fiscal
& HR Manager and now has increased responsibilities
in Human Resource Management. Ms. Cummings has
been with the Chamber for 15 years and additionally
oversees the fiscal operations of the Chamber, Coastal
Community Capital, and the Cape Cod Economic Development Council. •
Cape Cod Healthcare is a major sponsor of Cape
& Plymouth Business Magazine’s Enterprising Women
event November 5 at the Cape Codder Resort and Spa
in Hyannis. Three CCHC executives will play feature
roles at the event: Emily Schorer, senior vice president
of human resources, will open the lunch program;
Terri Ahern, senior vice president of strategy and government affairs, will introduce guests; and Jeanne Fallon, senior vice president and chief information officer, will hand out awards. Registration for Enterprising
Women starts at 8 a.m. with the program beginning
at 8:30 and running through 1 p.m., including lunch.
Cost is $75. To reserve a spot go to www.capeplymouthbusiness.com/ourevents
www.capeplymouthbusiness.com/ourevents.
Fall 2014
BUSINESS
DIRECTORY
ELDER LAW ATTORNEY
Short Or Long Term, You’ll Find
Disability Insurance A Good Buy
By G. Robert King II, CFP®
If you’re unable to work due to a sickness or injury,
disability income insurance can help you meet expenses and maintain your standard of living, pay your
bills and help provide financial stability until you get
back on your feet and return to work.
Short-term disability insurance can replace a portion of your income during
the initial weeks of a disabling illness or accident.
Long-term disability insurance replaces a portion of your income after those initial weeks for an extended period.
You may have one or both of these through your
employer although many people also choose to purchase individual coverage on their own.
Individual disability income insurance can provide
protection for people who do not have this coverage
available through their workplace or to augment such
group policies.
No one knows what the future holds, so it’s important to do your best to prepare for what life may bring.
Here are some tips that might prove helpful.
Remember, that Social Security disability benefits
are not available if you are expected to be out of work
for less than a year.
• Most long-term absences are caused by illness,
only 10 percent are due to accidents;
• Almost one in four of today’s 20-year-olds may be-
come disabled before reaching age
67 and it may be easier and less expensive to get disability insurance
when you’re young and healthy;
• A good rule of thumb is to protect 60-80 percent
of your after-tax income;
• You will need to meet your essential living expenses if you should become disabled. Approximately 72 per cent of
consumer expenditures are
to cover essential expenses like housing, food, transportation, health care and education and that’s what
you need to protect;
• Some disability insurance is better than no disability insurance;
• When budgets are especially tight, it still may
make sense to purchase sufficient insurance to cover
the rent or mortgage and keep your family in their
home should you become disabled.
There are several ways to obtain disability income
coverage. In addition to work, there are associations
that offer these benefits to members or do it individually. Rates vary according to age, health, occupation
and coverage. Financial advisers can help.
(Mr. King of Baystate Securities is a registered
Hyannis representative of New England Securities,
member FINRA/SIPC and a RIA, 508-790-7100 or
rking@baystatefinancial.com.)
King’s RANSOM
FINANCIAL ADVISER
GRAPHIC DESIGN
508 477 3396
kvhgraphicdesign@comcast.net
INSURANCE
MEDICAL BILLING
SHINE ON…
By Sheila Curtis
The annual open enrollment for Medicare Part
D and Medicare Advantage (managed plans such as
HMOs, PPOs) Plans ends December 7. If you are on
Medicare you should review your options every year
to make sure you have the coverage that works best
for you.
That’s because every year, Medicare Part D and
Medicare Advantage Plans may change their formularies (list of covered drugs), premiums, co-pays, and
deductibles.
You should already have received a notice from your
current plan regarding any anticipated changes for
2015. Some Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage
plans are ending and some new ones are entering the
market. More than half of the Medicare Part D plans
have increased their premiums for 2015 so let SHINE
assist with finding you the best and least costly plan.
Note: This open enrollment may not pertain to
those who receive retiree health insurance through
their employer.
How Can SHINE Help You? State-certified SHINE
counselors are trained regarding the enrollment rules
that may apply to your personal situation and your
personal coverage choices. We can analyze your needs
and compare available plans to find you the most
comprehensive coverage at the best price for you. We
may also be able to save you money through public
assistance programs. Call your local senior center to
make an appointment with a SHINE counselor or call
the SHINE Regional Office at 508-375-6762.
(Ms. Curtis is Regional Manager for the Cape
Cod & Islands SHINE program. SHINE, Serving the
Deadline’s Fast Approaching
To Update Medicare Options
Health Insurance Needs of Everyone, is a statewide
program that provides free healthcare information,
assistance and counseling to Medicare beneficiaries
of all ages and their family members, caregivers or
representatives. SHINE Counselors are certified by
the state of Massachusetts through the Executive
Office of Elder Affairs.)
Boost Your Business
Did you know that the
Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
ranked in the top 10 in
member satisfaction among
all Chambers our size in the USA?
* Per 2012-2013 ACCE survey
Get more leads for your business and join now.
For membership information,
contact Maegan Storey at 508-744-5564.
Find out more about our NEW free discount
drug card at eCapeChamber.com!
508-548-3699
Falmouth, MA
• HIPAA Compliant Claim Submission • Customized Monthly Reports
• Aggressive Appeals and Follow Up
• Low Cost Billing Rates
Serving All Specialties in Massachusetts
www.seasidemedicalbilling.com
NETWORKING
Cape Cod’s
Community Care Resource Group
www.seniorsoncapecod.org
An easy-to-use source of information
serving seniors on Cape Cod.
h
Please bookmark this website.
www.capecod.edu
Proud to be
the home of
outstanding
healthcare
education
and training
programs
serving the
entire region
and
beyond
Cape Cod
Community
College
HEALTH CAREER GRADS
FILL NEEDED JOBS IN OUR
COMMUNITY!
Dental Hygiene
Diagnostic Tech-Phlebotomy
CNA/HHA/Tri-level
Medical Assisting - Medical Office
Massage Therapy - Paramedic
Nursing
Call Our Admissions
Office and Ask to Start:
1-508-362-4311
$$
To Your FINANCIAL Good Health
Earned Sick Time
Good For Economy
By Senator Dan Wolf
When I came to the State House, I
had 30 years of prior experience in the
private sector, but it never occurred to
me that so many businesses out there
didn’t offer an earned paid sick time benefit to their employees.
My company, Cape Air, offered sick
time from its inception 26 years ago and
it has never inhibited our ability to grow.
It was an eye-opener to find that over a
million people in the Commonwealth—
about a third of our workforce—did not
receive this benefit at all.
When working families don’t have financial security, our whole economy suffers. Furthermore, studies have shown that
when a worker is fired for missing work,
the position often remains unfilled, meaning a job lost by one worker is not necessarily a job gained by another. Losing a job
or even fear of losing a job means less financial stability and less spending, which
is detrimental to the entire economy.
It is for these reasons, among many others, why I have campaigned for this change
in the Legislature.
Looking historically at other proworker, pro-labor legislation that we have
enacted, from child labor laws, to the 40hour work week, to workplace safety standards, we cannot simply look to Washington now to pass this legislation. We have
to do it here in Massachusetts and hopefully serve as the model for other states.
Here are some helpful facts about that
ballot question:
Employees earn their sick time at the
rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked
and can earn up to 40 hours of sick time
per calendar year. Employees with more
generous sick time benefits will keep
them;
Earned sick time can be used for the
employee’s own health needs or those of a
child, parent, spouse or parent of a spouse,
including for recovery from a physical or
mental illness or injury, preventive care
or medical appointments, and to address
the employee’s domestic violence needs or
those of a dependent child;
For companies with 11 or more employees, workers can earn up to 40 hours of paid
sick time per year. In those with fewer than
11 employees, workers can earn up to 40
hours of unpaid sick time annually;
Employees cannot be subject to retaliation just for using earned sick time;
Employees begin earning their sick
time at the start of their employment, and
can start using their earned sick time after
they have been on the job for 90 days;
Unused, earned sick time can be carried
over from one year to the next, up to 40
hours and the use of sick time is capped
at the maximum of 40 hours per calendar
year. Under this ballot law, your employee
does not have the guarantee to “cash out”
unused sick time;
(Senator Wolf, D-Cape & Islands, is
co-chairman of the Labor and Workforce Development Committee.)
$$
State $ We Generate
Should Return To Us
By Wendy K.
Northcross, CCE
CEO Cape Cod
Chamber of
Commerce
Each year the
Cape Cod Chamber
of Commerce surveys its members on
a broad range of economic issues facing
the Cape’s business community.
Protection of the natural environment, the need for wastewater infrastructure and concern over health insurance costs
have scored
as the leading issues
over the past four years. More recently,
long-range solutions to canal bridge
crossings and increasing public transportation options have ranked high on
the list, as has support for employment
options that will attract and retain the
next generation of Cape Codders.
But while our economy is indeed diversifying and jobs are returning, the
infrastructure upon which our success
depends has fallen behind.
As we enter the election season, it is
with this regional perspective and understanding of the Cape’s challenges
and opportunities, that we review the
upcoming ballot questions and platforms of our candidates. Several of the
November ballot questions put forth
new funding mechanisms (Bottle Bill)
or work to hold fast to funding in
place (Gas Tax Indexing). Typically, the
Chamber would oppose initiatives that
seemingly increase costs to consumers
or business. However, in this voting
cycle we find ourselves considering the
impact of that stance, and its adverse effect on our future vision of Cape Cod.
Building a solid future for Cape Cod
will require ingenuity and investment.
We realize there are no perfect answers,
but we will advocate for actions that
support those things we value most.
This
requires support
for
revenue
sources and regional equity in its distribution.
The Chamber has carefully weighed
the proposed revenue programs, taxes,
and fees borne by our region against the
direct and indirect benefits they return.
The Cape’s economy brings in excess of
$750 million of tax revenues to the Commonwealth annually. Fairness requires
that an equitable proportion of the revenues collected from our businesses, residents, and visitors be returned to our region. This funding is desperately needed
to nurture our economic base, mitigate
the costs of protecting and repairing our
environment and infrastructure, and ensure a competitive balance with other
visitor destinations.
Chamber MUSES
Experienced wealth management professionals
dedicated to you. That’s what we offer at Cape Cod Five.
At Cape Cod Five, wealth management includes the services of Certified Financial Planners, Chartered Financial Analysts,
Certified Trust and Financial Advisors and Attorneys – a team of credentialed advisors who care about your goals as much as you do.
We are dedicated to our clients and their financial future. Experience the difference our local, highly skilled team can make for you.
Cape Cod Five
Wealth Management Services
20 West Road, Orleans MA 02653 • 877-409-5600 • www.capecodfive.com
NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC-INSURED • NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY • NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK • MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE

Rising Suicide Rate Stirs Cape - Barnstable County Human Services

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