Griffin Hospital in Derby hosting Winter Wonderland to benefit Spooner House

Griffin Hospital is hosting its Annual Holiday Winter Wonderland of Trees fundraiser until Dec. 21 to support Spooner House./ Contributed photo


DERBY - Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St., is holding its Annual Holiday Wonderland of Trees fundraiser to support Spooner House until Dec. 21.

Located in the hospital’s main corridor, the fundraiser consists of more than 20 three-foot trees decorated by hospital staff with themed ornaments and prizes such as gift cards and toys to be raffled off.

Raffle tickets are $1 each, 15 for $10 or 40 for $20. The tickets are available at the hospital’s front desk. 

The tickets will be drawn at 2 p.m. Dec. 21. Winners do not need to be present at the drawing.

Proceeds will benefit Spooner House in Shelton, which provides food, shelter, and support services to people in need.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

East End Hose firefighters in Derby to deliver gifts from Santa

Newsletter features Pearl Harbor ceremony in Ansonia

Dear readers,

The latest issue of The Valley Voice is out. 
Please click here to read about a Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremony Wednesday in Ansonia, an identity theft awareness campaign in Shelton, and more.

~ Patti and Ralph

Reminder: Santa to visit Seymour Historical Society Saturday

Bishop Wicke in Shelton wins Best Nursing Homes ranking

Contributed photo

SHELTON - Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center was recently selected by U.S. News and World Report to receive a Best Nursing Homes Ranking for 2016-17, a title they have continued to earn since 2013. 

U.S. News rated over 15,000 nursing homes across the country in an effort to help caregivers and families find the best nursing home for their loved one. 

At the top of the Connecticut nursing homes list are those with a rating of five stars from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for their overall performance in health inspections, nurse staffing and quality of medical care. 

Of the 227 nursing homes in the state, 16 percent earned an overall five-star rating, including Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center. 

To view the rankings by location, visit http://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes.

Bishop Wicke offers short-term rehab and skilled nursing care, including specialized programs for surgical recovery, orthopedics, cardiac and respiratory rehab, heart failure and more. 

The facility is located on the Wesley Village Campus, 584 Long Hill Ave. and is owned and operated by United Methodist Homes, a local, not-for-profit organization. 

For more information about relationship-centered care at Bishop Wicke, visit www.wesleyvillage-ct.org or call 203-929-5321.

This is a press release from United Methodist Homes.

Handmade market slated Saturday in Shelton

Griffin Hospital Lifeline offers free online tips for caregivers

TV host and caregiver advocate Leeza Gibbons, who cares for her father, Carlos, offers free online tips and advice on caregiving at lifeline.philips.com/caregiver./ Contributed photo

Griffin Hospital Lifeline and TV host and caregiver advocate Leeza Gibbons have teamed up to offer free online tips and advice for those caring for seniors.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 34 million informal caregivers in the U.S. 

Often, caregivers face incredible pressures helping to ensure their loved ones are safe and aging well at home, while simultaneously maintaining their own day-to-day life.

As a caregiver herself, Gibbons understands the roller coaster of emotions involved - feeling angry, frustrated, exhausted, alone or sad, while also feeling fulfilled in helping them age healthy and happy. 

To help other caregivers cope with this unique and important role, Gibbons, who is a caregiver for her father, Carlos, and Philips Lifeline offer these tips:

· Take your oxygen first - Caregivers are nurturers, but if you really want to nurture someone, you have to fill yourself up first - mind, body, soul and spirit. That’s the first way to give love to your loved one. When you feel better and are mentally stronger as the caregiver, you can go the distance and your loved one will also benefit from the positive change.

· Talk as a family - To keep everyone on the same page and ensure everyone’s voice is heard, set up time for a family “check in.” This could be a family dinner or monthly video conference, where family members come together to talk through important topics and emotions top of mind with everyone. This also serves as an open environment to make everyone’s voice count. You may not all agree but it’s a time to go from conflict to consensus.

· Incorporate technology into your caregiving - There are solutions available right now - and they’re getting better every day - that can support your role as caregiver. In addition, these solutions can help engage your loved ones to help improve their overall quality of life and independence. One solution is a medical alert service. Have a conversation about how this service can benefit both of you, as it will give you peace of mind knowing your loved one will have access to help, even if you’re not there.

More advice from Gibbons is available at lifeline.philips.com/caregiver, including tips for managing caregiver stress, how caregivers can stay healthy, reducing stress when caring for kids and aging parents, balancing family caregiving obligations and your career, and finding caregiver support.

“As caregivers, we worry about parents who live too far away for us to check on them, or fathers who live alone and get up in the middle of the night, or mothers who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, diabetes, or another chronic condition,” Gibbons said. 

“Being a caregiver can be an isolating experience, and it’s hard to know where to turn. I hope these tips and information can lessen the toll caregiving can take on us so that we can care for ourselves and our loved ones.”

Griffin Hospital partners with Phillips Lifeline to provide seniors with America’s most trusted medical alert service as well as other caregiving technology to help people to live with greater independence, peace of mind and dignity in the place they feel most comfortable – their own homes. 

For more information, call (800) 242-1306 x4722 or visit griffinhealth.org/lifeline.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.