Care for pressure sores
BANGOR – Preventive care and treatment for pressure sores will be the topic of the Physical Disabilities Support Group at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, at Alpha One, 1048 Union St.
The speaker will be Dr. Algis Vydas, medical director of the St. Joseph Hospital Wound, Lymphedema and Hyperbaric Center.
The Significant Others Support Group, family and friends of those with disabilities, will attend the meeting as well.
A potluck meal will begin at 5 p.m.
Bone health program
BANGOR – Whether you are in your 40s or 70s, it is never too early or too late to make changes in your diet, exercise program and lifestyle to strengthen your bones.
If Americans don’t take action, by the year 2020, half of all persons older than age 50 will be at risk for fractures related to osteoporosis and low-bone mass, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis.
Elizabeth Duke, family nurse practitioner from the Maine Rehabilitation Center, will be the featured speaker at “Fit to a T,” a bone health and osteoporosis education program for men and women of all ages.
The program, developed by the Bone and Joint Decade and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14, at the Bangor Y on Hammond Street.
Area service providers will be on hand with tables of information and resources. Calcium-rich snacks and recipes will be provided. The session, part of the Caring Connections monthly Bone Health Information and Discussion Group series, is free and open to all. For more information or to register, call Robin Long at 941-2808.
Caring Connections is a cooperative program of the Bangor Y and Eastern Maine Medical Center, supported by the fundraising efforts of Healthcare Charities.
Hospice volunteer training
BANGOR – Beacon Hospice Inc. has announced the start of a new seven-week Volunteer Training and Orientation Program.
Orientation begins 5:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, May 13. Volunteer training sessions are set for 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, May 20 and 27, and June 3, 10, 17 and 24. All sessions will be held at the Beacon Hospice office, 304 Hancock St., Suite 3A.
Beacon Hospice provides end-of-life care to local terminally ill patients and relies on volunteers to ensure the delivery of care. Volunteers provide support to patients and their families, such as visiting with patients on an ongoing basis, sitting vigils, organizing craft projects and working in the Beacon Hospice office.
An application and interview must be completed by May 7.
For more information, call Roanne Austin, volunteer coordinator, at 942-2920 or e-mail raustin@beaconhospice.com.
Arthritis Walk
BANGOR – Walkers are wanted to participate in the Arthritis Walk to be held Sunday, May 17, at the William S. Cohen School. Register to walk or send a donation by visiting http://Bangoraw.kintera.org, sponsor a participant, or call Patti at 603-224-0177 or 800-639-2113 for more information.
The Arthritis Walk is the Arthritis Foundation’s annual nationwide event that raises funds and awareness to fight arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability.
The Arthritis Walk kicks off in May, National Arthritis Month, in more than 300 communities nationwide to fund arthritis research, health education and government advocacy initiatives.
Participants walk in honor of a friend or family member with arthritis. People with arthritis wear blue hats to signify their action in taking control of their condition. The event features a 3-mile and 1-mile course with arthritis information and activities for the entire family. Pet owners are invited to bring their dogs along for the walk.
Health grant information
BANGOR – Organizations seeking to improve the health and welfare of the greater Bangor community are encouraged to apply for funding from the Maine Community Foundation’s Penobscot Valley Health Association Fund. May 15 is the deadline for applying.
Only nonprofit and public organizations with 501(c)(3) tax status are eligible. Application, guidelines and a list of recent grants may be found at www.mainecf.org.
The average grant size is $7,000-$10,000. One of the organizations funded in 2008 was the Autism Society of Maine, which used the grant to recruit autism information specialists in the Bangor area in order to respond more efficiently to the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
The fund’s advisory committee, which reviews proposals and awards grants, is particularly interested in supporting efforts to address the overlooked health needs of the community, especially proposals that target the physical and mental health needs of youth.
For more information, call Laura Reed at 564-3236 or e-mail lreed@mainecf.org.
Pharmacy school board member
BANGOR – St. Joseph Healthcare Pharmacy Director Mark Miller, who holds a doctorate of pharmacy, recently accepted an invitation to be a founding member of the Husson University School of Pharmacy advisory board and the school’s experiential advisory board.
The Husson University School of Pharmacy expects to welcome its first class of students in the fall.
“I’m honored to be a part of this project,” said Miller. “There is such a high demand for pharmacists throughout the country and certainly in our region. We’re hopeful about this program growing and helping to fill that need, particularly within our own state.”
Pharmacy advisory board members will provide advice and assistance as the program develops, including help with curriculum development, assessment, fundraising, strategic planning and marketing of the program. Miller’s role on the experiential board will include reviewing clerkships for students as they travel outside the university for real-world experience.
Miller said he’s most looking forward to the challenge of developing the new boards and shaping the new program from scratch.
St. Joseph Hospital’s Pharmacy announced that it will be included as a rotation site for students to gain experience. Miller said he’s eager to be involved in this capacity as well and excited to work with the students.
St. Joseph Hospital is a preferred site for the school and will be involved in the school’s accreditation process. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education will review the school’s plans this spring. The St. Joseph Hospital Pharmacy will host the council in May to demonstrate how the experiential education program will work in the future.
Honor for Sen. Snowe
The American Heart Association has recognized U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe for her leadership with major legislative initiatives including those aimed at prohibiting genetic discrimination and expanding heart disease and stroke research and prevention.
Snowe received the association’s Congressional Public Service Award for 2009 on April 21 during the American Heart Association’s You’re the Cure on the Hill in Washington, D.C., in which hundreds of association volunteers meet with their representatives in Congress to advocate for heart-healthy legislation.
Doug Kavanaugh of Orono and Joseph and Susan MacDonald of Yarmouth, association leadership volunteers from Maine’s two congressional districts, accompanied association Advocacy Director Dennise Whitley to Washington.
“Whether it is enacting legislation like the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act to protect individuals against potential discrimination from employers or health insurers based on their genetic makeup or increasing access to quality and affordable health care for American children through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, I share the goal of promoting healthy-heart policies in America,” said Snowe. “I am honored to be recognized by a vital organization like the American Heart Association.”
As a result of her leadership and tireless efforts, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act was enacted last year after a 10-year campaign led by Snowe. The measure prohibits employers and insurers from using genetic information in employment and health insurance decisions.
Snowe’s work to improve and renew the State Children’s Health Insurance Program will provide affordable health care to millions of children nationwide. The bill included provisions that call for the development and reporting of child health quality measures for children enrolled in Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. These measures will lead to more effective ways to prevent and treat major cardiovascular disease risk factors such as childhood obesity, help reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care.