Recuperation journey: Looking at the sky

Pastel pinks and yellows paint the sky Monday night.

Planetree International recognizes Griffin Hospital in Derby

DERBY - Griffin Hospital has been awarded Gold Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care™ by Planetree International.

This Person-Centered Care Certification recognizes Griffin Hospital’s achievement and innovation in the delivery of person-centered care. 

Griffin Hospital is one of only 88 health care organizations worldwide to receive the Person-Centered Care Gold Certification since the program’s launch in 2007.

“The Planetree Certification is the only award that recognizes excellence in person-centeredness across the continuum of care,” said Susan Frampton, President of Planetree International, a not-for-profit organization that has been at the forefront of the movement to transform health care from the perspective of patients for nearly 40 years. 

“This Gold Certification signals to its patients and community that Griffin Hospital is an organization where staff partner with patients and families, and where patient and family comfort, dignity, empowerment and well-being are prioritized as key elements of providing top-quality clinical care.”

Gold Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care™ represents the highest level of achievement in person-centered care, based on evidence and standards. Person-centered health care prioritizes the active participation of patients and their families throughout the health care process with an emphasis on partnership, compassion, transparency, inclusion, and quality.

“We are both proud and honored to be recognized for our commitment to person-centered care,” said Griffin Hospital President and CEO Patrick Charmel. “We strive every day to raise the bar in the care and support we provide to our patients, our community and our staff of caregivers. Together, Planetree and Griffin Hospital are changing the face of health care by partnering with patients and their caregivers to improve not just the health of our community, but its overall well-being.”

The criteria that Griffin Hospital satisfied to achieve Planetree Gold Certification reflect what patients, family members and healthcare professionals in hundreds of focus groups say matters most to them during a health care experience. This qualitative data aligns with the growing evidence-base for person-centered care, and establishes the Person-Centered Care Certification Program as a concrete framework for defining and measuring excellence in person-centeredness.

The criteria address components of a person-centered healthcare experience, including the quality of patient-provider interactions, access to information, family involvement and the physical environment of care. Importantly, the criteria also focus on how the organization supports staff, opportunities for staff, patients, and families to have a voice in the way care is delivered, and the ways that Griffin Hospital is reaching beyond its walls to care for its community.

As part of the Certification process — which included a site visit by representatives from Planetree — discussion with recent Griffin Hospital patients, families and current staff validated that specific person-centered policies are in place, including non-restrictive visiting hours and a shared medical record policy; that staff members at all levels are involved in the implementation of person-centered care; and that the organization’s physical environment supports patient and family engagement in their care.  The process also included a review of the organization’s performance on patient experience and quality of care measures, and how measurement of these indicators improves organizational outcomes.

For more information on Planetree’s Person-Centered Certification Program, including the criteria, the application process and more, visit certification.planetree.org.

About Planetree

Planetree International is a mission based not-for-profit organization that has partnered with over 700 health care organizations around the world and across the care continuum to transform how care is delivered. Powered by over 50,000 focus group attendees comprised of patients, families, and staff, and 40 years of experience working with health care organizations, the Planetree approach emphasizes the quality of human interactions that occur within health care settings, the importance of connecting health care personnel to the purpose and meaning of their work, and practical strategies for engaging patients and family members as true partners in care. These elements have been consolidated into the Person-Centered Care Certification Program, which provides organizations with a structured process to guide culture change efforts that yield improvements in clinical and operational outcomes. Drawing on this experience, in 2017 Planetree partnered with the National Academy of Medicine to introduce an evidence-based Guiding Framework for Patient and Family Engaged Care.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Educational activities for kids slated at Seymour Public Library

TEAM slates 53rd annual meeting at Racebrook Country Club in Orange

This year's honorees are: City of Ansonia, Valley Community Foundation, and Newtown Savings Bank.


This information is shared from TEAM, Inc.'s Facebook page.

Friends of the Beacon Falls Library to host pumpkin painting fun

Friends of the Beacon Falls Library
Annual Pumpkin Painting Event

Drop-in between 10 a.m. and noon Oct. 27

Children who have pre-registered and paid the $1 registration fee by Oct. 25 will have a reserved pumpkin. 

There may be a limited number of other pumpkins available, but that is not guaranteed.

All materials including pumpkins are provided.

NOTE: DUE TO THE $1 FEE, PARTICIPANTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REGISTER ONLINE - REGISTRATION MUST BE DONE AT THE LIBRARY. 

You can call the library and then drop off the $1 fee in an envelope in the drop box if you cannot come in during library hours. 

For more information please call 203-729-1441.
To register, please visit the library, 10 Maple Ave.

Shared from the Friends of the Beacon Falls Library Facebook page.

Save the date: Festival of Trees in Shelton to benefit TEAM, Inc.

SHELTON - TEAM, Inc.'s 15th annual Festival of Trees will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 17 at Shelton Senior Center, 81 Wheeler St. 

This is a new location for the fundraiser, hosted by RJS Designs, LLC Event Planner & Holiday Decorator Services.
Admission is free.

It will feature a holiday marketplace, refreshments, gift basket raffles, tree raffles, and photos with Santa. 
RJS Designs, LLC will have a Christmas Tree and Fireplace Mantel displayed for raffling. 
For more information go to www.teaminc.org.

This is shared from TEAM's Facebook page.

Naugatuck Valley Health District schedules flu clinics

SEYMOUR - The Naugatuck Valley Health District will offer influenza vaccine clinics to residents of #Ansonia, #BeaconFalls, #Derby, #Naugatuck, #Seymour and #Shelton during the months of September, October, and November.

All residents are welcome to any of the clinics listed below, and appointments are not necessary.

Clinics will be held at the following locations:
- Oct. 3, 9-11 a.m. - Naugatuck Senior Center
- Oct. 10, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Shelton     Senior Center
- Oct. 12, 9-11 a.m. - Ansonia Senior Center
- Oct. 16, 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. - Derby Senior Center
- Oct. 17, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. - Warsaw Park, Ansonia
- Oct. 24, 9:30 a.m.- noon - Seymour Senior Center

Additional clinics will be available by appointment at Naugatuck Valley Health District, 98 Bank St.

The Health District accepts the following insurances; Aetna, Cigna, ConnectiCare, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Medicare Part B. There is no copay to those who have insurance. We are not able to accept Medicare Advantage plans, Oxford or United HealthCare. Those who are eligible should bring the proper insurance cards.

The cost of the flu vaccine for those who do not have insurance is $30 for the quadrivalent vaccine, and $60 for the high dose vaccine for those 65 years and older. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, debit or credit card.

All clinic attendees should wear loose fitting clothes with short sleeves.

Children (3 years and older) needing flu shots will be accommodated by appointment at regularly scheduled immunization clinics at the district office in Seymour.

Elderly homebound persons who cannot attend any of the clinics may contact the Health District at 203-881-3255 to make arrangements for a nurse to administer the vaccine at home. Such individuals should have permission from their physicians for the influenza vaccine and have insurance through the above noted insurers.

Clinic dates may be added or revised. 
For more information regarding the district’s flu clinic schedule, please call Naugatuck Valley Health District, 203-881-3255, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Naugatuck Valley Health District office is located at 98 Bank St., and serves residents of the municipalities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour, and Shelton. 

Clinic schedules are also posted on www.nvhd.org and NVHD’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


This information is shared from the health district's Facebook page.

Recuperation journey: Monday sunrise

  Happy first day of October!