Recognized
Westview Health Care Center hosted a special recognition dinner for their volunteers recently. More than 40 volunteers and staff members attended. Special tributes and tokens of thanks were presented to the volunteers by Louise Taylor, director of Therapeutic Recreation. “We are extremely grateful to have so many caring and selfless volunteers who graciously donate their time and talent to the residents and patients of Westview,” said Taylor. “Our volunteers are a vital part of our devoted team of caregivers.” Westview has more than 40 volunteers that have shared more than 4,300 hours of their time to visit with residents, host music and educational programs, assist with transportation to recreational programs and many other rewarding activities in 2016. “Westview is enriched each and every day by the support and generosity of our highly regarded volunteers,” said David T. Panteleakos, administrator. Courtesy photo.
NECASA announces regional winners of the 23rd Annual Volunteer with Youth Awards and the winners of the 10th Annual Judith Nilan Awards
Northeast Communities Against Substance Abuse (NECASA) announced that two winners have been selected for the 23rd Annual Volunteer with Youth Awards from northeastern Connecticut. The Volunteer with Youth Awards are given to those individuals who have shown exemplary volunteer service to youth in the region. In prevention science, it is proven that young people who have solid adult role models are better able to cope with the stress of daily life and to avoid unhealthy behaviors including drug use and abuse.
Victoria Embree: Victoria Embree has been a Boy Scout leader for Troop 27 in Woodstock for 19 years. She has served as an instructor, mentor and cheerleader for hundreds of Boy Scouts during that time period. Her leadership has nurtured many scouts, including Eagle Scouts that have chosen her as the most influential person in their scouting achievements. She believes in raising “men of character”. Victoria is estimated to spend 30-40 hours monthly as a scout volunteer and her commitment has included nights, weekends and entire weeklong programs.
Joseph Couture: Joe Couture has been the unit commander of the Natchaug Valley Young Marines since 2011, and the Assistant Division Commander since 2013. His involvement in the Young Marine’s ’program dates back to 2007. Under Joe’s leadership the Young Marines have participated in many community service projects. His unit was named the National Young Marine Unit of the year in 2015.
Joe is involved in many activities including drug prevention efforts with NECASA, Putnam PRIDE and Griswold PRIDE and serves on the board of Northeast Opportunities for Wellness (NOW) and the local Juvenile Review Board. It is estimated that Joe spends 40 hours weekly in his volunteer efforts.
10th Annual Judith Nilan Awards
The Judith Nilan Awards are given to school personnel for their commitment to promoting substance abuse prevention and positive youth development in their school. The Award is named after Judy Nilan, the former social worker at Woodstock Middle School, who was murdered in 2005.
Lisa Mooney: Lisa Mooney is the social worker at Putnam High School. In 2009, Lisa started the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) group at the high school. Many programs have been brought to the High School due to Lisa’s leadership including speakers, safety demonstrations and murals. She has taken students to forums in Washington D.C. for both SADD and for Putnam PRIDE anti-drug coalition and has included students in leadership symposiums locally and nationally. Lisa’s work and her encouragement have helped bring out the potential in her students.
Charles “Chuck” Leavens: Chuck Leavens is a counselor at E.O. Smith High School and has served as a counselor for youth in Mansfield for more than 30 years. Chuck serves as the adviser to the Peer Natural Helpers group at E.O. Smith which promote a healthy school climate for all. He is also the creator and coordinator of the challenge program in which middle school students go on a multi-day adventure trip on the Appalachian Trail. The entire focus of Chuck’s professional life has been the young people in Mansfield and he is recognized for his unique ability to connect with teens.
Legal Notice
Town of Putnam
Zoning Board
of Appeals
The Town of Putnam Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a meeting on December 14, 2016, at 7:00 P.M. at the Putnam Town Hall located at 126 Church Street, Putnam, CT. A public hearing will be held on the following:
Appeal # 2016-003: Cargill Realty LLC — Request for a Certificate of Approval of Location for the construction of a 3200 S.F. /3 bay garage addition to the existing garage. Property located at 135 Providence Pike. Town Assessor’s Map 27, Lot 21. Zoned C-4.
Joseph Nash,
Chairman
Dec. 1, 2016
Dec. 8, 2016
PUTNAM — In honor of National Homecare and Hospice Month, Day Kimball Healthcare hosted a celebration in recognition of home health care providers both past and present.
The event included a presentation that detailed the history of homecare in northeast Connecticut, tracing the roots of today’s Day Kimball HomeMakers, Day Kimball HomeCare, and Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut all the way back to the region’s first visiting nurse, Esther Wells, who began caring for people in their homes in 1919.
The celebration continued with an award presentation of several “Hero at Home” awards honoring Day Kimball In-Home Care staff for providing exceptional patient care along with a “Hero for Homecare “ award presented to a healthcare partner who advocates for Homecare and promotes collaborative patient care across the continuum.
“Hero at Home” awards were presented to: Susan Antonelli RN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care; Nancy Severs, Physical Therapy Assistant, HomeCare; Donna Hendrickson, Administrative Assistant, HomeCare; Alecia Fontaine, RN, “Remarkable Rookie,” Hospice & Palliative Care; Faye Logee, Personal Care Aide/Homemaker, HomeMakers; and Michael Peterson, Personal Care Aide/Homemaker, HomeMakers. The “Hero for Homecare” award was presented to Denise Oles, RN, CCM, CCDS, Day Kimball Hospital Case Management. DKH In-Home Care Executive Director Renee Smith, Dr. Joseph Botta of Botta & Associates and Ann Hinchman of the Friends of Hospice Committee each spoke.
to the advanced, high-quality care that these services have grown into today and the tremendous impact they have on people’s lives.
“Even though our organization has changed a great deal over the years, our love for what we do and our commitment to the community has as always remained the same. Our dedication to providing the highest quality in-home care possible is not only evident in the skill and compassion of our employees, but is also reflected in our ability to keep people where they want to be the most, in the comfort of their own homes,” Smith said.
She continued, “Our agency’s score for preventing avoidable re-hospitalizations, a quality measure found on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service’s Home Health Compare website, is significantly better than both state and national averages, as well as other competing agencies serving our region, and this is something we are extremely proud of.”
Dr. Botta spoke to the value of homecare and hospice for patients, saying, “The most important part of health care is at home. We keep people at home with prevention. You, our dedicated home health care providers, prevent minor and major catastrophes in the homes of our patients every day, and what you do is so important. You are at the center of the patients’ care, coordinating all of their needs. Not only do you prevent illness but you provide our patients with a quality of life by giving them freedom and dignity. There really is no way to measure the impact that has on a person’s life.”
Speaking about the history and impact of hospice and palliative care in the region Hinchman said, “Hospice began 50 years ago this year in London. In 1974, Connecticut began its first hospice in New Haven which was the first hospice program in the United States and since then we have worked diligently to build the program here in our corner of the state. We have done tremendous work during that time but there is still so much work to be done, as patients are not taking advantage of this kind of care soon enough. It is important that patients understand that hospice does not mean a time to die, it is a time to help the patient and their family to live!”
In addition to the awards ceremony and speaking program, a historical display showcased a half-century of home health care memorabilia preserved through the years including local in-home care equipment, news bulletins and other items from years past. The event concluded with a touching slide show of hundreds of photos of Day Kimball home health care providers and patients over the years that served to illustrate the many important ways these health care providers help to improve people’s lives each and every day.