Wesley Village in Shelton invites caregivers to support group

SHELTON - Do you know or care for someone recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia? Are you in need of support? You’re not alone! 

Caregivers are invited to Wesley Village June 16 and every third Thursday of the month, from 2-3 p.m. for an Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Group. 

The group will offer problem-solving techniques and helpful support for families and caregivers, and will be facilitated by Wesley Village staff. 

Your loved one is welcome to participate in activities in a secure environment while you attend the support group. For more information or to RSVP, call 203.225.5024 or visit www.wesleyvillage-ct.org. The group will be held at Wesley Heights and Lifestyle Transitions at Wesley Village. Wesley Village is located at 580 Long Hill Ave.

Wesley Village is a campus of senior care communities including Crosby Commons Independent and Assisted Living Community, Wesley Heights Assisted and Independent Living Apartments and Cottages, Lifestyle Transitions Memory Care at Wesley Heights, and Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center.

To learn more about the continuum of care offered at Wesley Village or the mission of UMH, visit www.wesleyvillage-ct.org or contact Lisa Bisson at 203-225-5024.

This is a press release from United Methodist Homes.

Newsletter highlights open houses planned in Ansonia, Shelton

Dear readers,

Our Thursday Valley Voice newsletter is out! 

Here is the link:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/329bf6_1392bfff9b434429b3a7799027215edd.pdf


Happy reading!

Shelton resident named Griffin Hospital 2016 Employee of the Year

Operating room nurse wins top honor  

Griffin Hospital 2016 Employee of the Year Kim Kelly  

DERBY - Griffin Hospital recently honored its nearly 800 employees and physicians who reached service milestones of five years and more and announced its employee and department of the year award winners at its 46th Annual Service Awards Dinner at the Aria Banquets in Prospect.

Operating room nurse Kim Kelly of Shelton was named Griffin Hospital’s 2016 Employee of the Year, and the hospital’s Case Management Department was named the 2016 Department of the Year.
At a “Classic Hollywood” inspired celebration, Griffin Hospital CEO and President Patrick Charmel personally presented gifts of appreciation to longtime employees and announced the winners.
The celebration is held each May during National Hospital Week to recognize employees and physicians for years of service and for outstanding performance.

Kelly Named Top Employee
Kelly joined Griffin Hospital in 1989 as a per diem float nurse, and advanced to a full-time staff nurse on the inpatient floors before being transferred to the hospital’s Digestive Disorders Center in 1998.
She recently took on the new roles and responsibilities of an OR nurse, functioning flawlessly as a patient advocate, teacher, team member, influencer, leader, and communicator. 
Kelly is the Bariatric Surgery Service Leader, the OR Safety Champion and received the Marie Santini Operating Room Nursing Excellence Award in 2015.

“Kim continually goes above and beyond,” Charmel said in presenting the award. “She anticipates the needs of the department, will volunteer to take extra call, and willingly works until all of the patients’ needs are met. She provides a high level of nursing care in all services and departments, with the capacity to float to [gastroenterology], Same Day Surgery, and the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit as needed - always with a smile. To express her appreciation to her co-workers, Kim frequently makes her famous coffee cake to thank the staff for a job well done with the OR’s patient safety high reliability initiative.”

The hospital's Employee of the Year selections come from its monthly I Take It Personally (ITIP) program where employees are nominated by their colleagues for outstanding work. 
Each month, one employee is selected from the hospital’s four service divisions - Ancillary, Nursing, Service, and Support - for his or her efforts to improve patient satisfaction and promote Griffin Hospital’s commitment to patient-centered care. Of these employees, four are selected as finalists for the honor of “Employee of the Year.” 
In addition to Kelly, Amanda Boroski, of Griffin Faculty Practice, Ricky Le Pera, of Griffin's Cardiac Rehabilitation, and Tricia Palmer, of Radiology and The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness, were finalists for the top honor.

Case Management Named Departments of the Year
Griffin Hospital’s Case Management Department was honored with Department of the Year for improving coordination with other hospital departments and community agencies to provide excellent transition of care and patient satisfaction.
“The Emergency Department Care Coordinators were able to prevent avoidable readmissions by tripling the number of community service referrals, including Meals on Wheels, Health and Human Services, The CHF/COPD Wellness Clinic at Griffin Hospital, and other skilled facilities,” Charmel said. 
“The Complex Care Team monitored patients at the greatest risk for hospital readmission and were able to keep 80 percent of these high-risk patients healing at home and out of the hospital.”
In addition, Case Management was able to help improve Griffin’s financial stability by working with physicians to improve clinical documentation and recoup denied health insurance reimbursements.

The Department of the Year is selected from the four hospital departments selected as “Department of the Quarter” by the ITIP program. 
In addition to Case Management, Department of the Quarter winners were Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital, and Medical Education.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

5th annual Pounding the Pavement for Pink slated Oct. 1 in Seymour

Save the date!  The 5th Annual  POUNDING THE PAVEMENT FOR PINK  will be on Sat. October 1st 2016

Registration for the 2016 POUNDING THE PAVEMENT FOR PINK: Adults 18+ Ages 6-17 Kids Run (8 and under) Early Bird July 1-31 $25 $15 $10 Registration Aug. 1-31 $30 $20 $15 Late Registration Sept. 1-15 $40 $25 $20

The first 1800 people to register will receive the 2016 race T-shirt.

Registration link will go live on July 1st.  The link will be posted on our website. www.seymourpink.com

Members of Derby High School Class of '66 to lead 2016 graduates in procession

DERBY - In keeping with Derby’s history of creating traditions, the class of 1966 will lead the class of 2016 into Ryan Field for the Derby High School graduation ceremony at 6 p.m. today.

The brainchild of Connie Condon, who is a consultant for Derby Public Schools and the wife of David Condon (Derby Class of ’66), was put on the table during a strategic planning meeting and within minutes the ball was rolling and a plan came together. 
Connie Condon stated, “Honoring Derby High School graduates who are reuniting after 50 years, by their participation in this year’s graduation ceremony, highlights the history and celebrates the future of Derby. Both the 1966 and 2016 graduates share in the Derby High School and Derby community experiences that have shaped them as people and provided a road map to their success.  They each are part of the fabric that makes Derby a very special place to live.”

The class of 1966 will be celebrating their 50th class reunion this year and it only made sense they be part of creating a new tradition of leading this year’s class in.  

In addition to leading the class in, they will meet with the class the day before graduation and talk about life in high school 50 years ago, life today and what helped them along the way.

Superintendent of Schools Matthew Conway stated, “We are thrilled at the opportunity to have the class of '66 as part of our celebration and look forward to this tradition happening each and every year moving forward.  I hope to be alive to see the class of 2016 leading in the class of 2066.” 

Dave Condon, Tom Baklik, and James Balisciano have reached out to classmates attending the reunion to be held on July 30 and inquired as to their availability to be part of the graduation exercise scheduled for June 9.  The response has been terrific.  
Condon stated he expects about 40 classmates (the class of ’66 had 130 graduates) to be in attendance at the graduation and shared, “50 years after marching into Ryan Field the Class of 1966 will once again be marching. However, instead of anticipating the receipt of our diplomas we will be celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of 2016 as they receive theirs. Now 50 years later and with the perspective that comes with age we can reflect on the legacy we received from our years at DHS. Our advice to the Class of 2016 is to cherish this moment, look around at your friends and family and remember the lessons you learned while at DHS will last your lifetime and the legacy you carry forward will someday lead you back to this place when you will be celebrating your 50^th High School Reunion.”

Derby High School Principal Martin Pascale stated, “Derby pride will be alive and well on Thursday night, Red Raiders past, present, and future will be there to celebrate the class of 2016!”

Derby class valedictorian Charlie Sampson shared, “tradition is strong in Derby, I am happy that the class of '66 will be there to share in our accomplishment as we graduate from DHS.”

We expect this to be a great night full of tradition.

This is a press release from Superintendent of Schools Matthew Conway.