Derby Lions to Host Diabetes Awareness Walk

 

Italian Pavilion Delivers Easter Dinner to Griffin Hospital

Italian Pavilion In Derby Donated Easter Dinner to Griffin Hospital, and shared this message below on their Facebook page:

Buona Pasqua a tutti! Especially to all of the healthcare workers working today and every day to keep our community safe, we appreciate all that you do ❤️

Volunteers Needed for Plant-Based Diets Study

DERBY – The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center at Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St., Derby, is looking for adult volunteers to take part in a study looking at how a vegan diet, with or without eggs, affects diet quality and heart health.

Study participants will eat a plant-based diet for approximately five months, including eggs for six weeks. 

The study team plans to enroll 35 adults in this study, including men who are 25 to 75 years old, and women up to 75 years of age who have gone through menopause, but are not on hormone replacement therapy. Those who qualify must be non-smokers, and have an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes based on certain criteria for this study.

Benefits for those who participate in this study include free study-related dietary counseling from a dietitian, free health testing, free eggs, grocery store gift cards to purchase vegan foods, and a total of $600 for completing the study.

For more information and to be considered for this study, please call Rocky at 203-732-1265 extension 300.

This study is funded by the Egg Nutrition Center, the science and nutrition education division of the American Egg Board that sponsors health-related scientific research that is primarily focused on eggs.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Griffin Health Hosts 'Ask a Pharmacist' on March 4

DERBY –The Community Health Resource Center at Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St., Derby, invites the community to bring their medication questions to Griffin’s expert pharmacists on Wed., March 4 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the hospital.

Griffin Health Director of Pharmacy Services Lisa Jaser, Pharm D, and other members of the Griffin Pharmacy staff will lead a casual Q&A for any and all medication questions.

Medication errors injure hundreds of thousands of people every year in the United States. However, most medication errors can be prevented with open communication between the pharmacist and patient as well as the patient’s caregivers. Important information individuals should ask their pharmacist includes the name of the medication, what it is supposed to do, how to take or use the medication, what to do if a dose is missed, and what activities, foods, or other medications to avoid while taking the medication.

This program is part of a series of free, educational forums hosted by the Community Health Resource Center in an effort to help improve the health of the community.

To register or for more information, call Kerry or Deborah at 203-732-7399.

The Community Health Resource Center at Griffin Hospital is a traditional library that provides an array of medical and health information, including a large collection of easy to read health and lifestyle related materials. The Center is open to the public to educate themselves on ways to enhance their well-being, prevent illness and play an active role in decisions about their health.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Griffin, SafeKids Offer Child Passenger Safety Training

DERBY- Griffin Health and SafeKids Greater Naugatuck Valley are offering free training on how to make sure children are safe when travelling in cars.

Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley Coalition Coordinator Cathi Kellett, MA CPST-I, SN-I, will host “Child Passenger Safety 101” on Wed., Nov. 6 at Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St. There will be a session from 6-7 p.m. on general child passenger safety and a session focused on passengers with special needs from 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Both sessions will provide information about the importance of child safety seats and crash dynamics, infant seats and rear-facing convertibles, forward-facing seats, including combination seats, booster seats and seat belts, and aftermarket products and objects in the car.

To register, email Cathi at ckellett@griffinhealth.org by Nov. 1.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Become A Certified Nursing Assistant

DERBY - The Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers, 300 Seymour Ave., Suite 206, is offering classes for its fall Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program.

The School of Allied Health Careers is offering a day session for its CNA program with classes on Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. starting Nov. 4.

The CNA course offers students an affordable and condensed schedule. Course content includes infection control, legal and ethical responsibilities, communications, body mechanics, moving and positioning residents, personal care skills, nutrition, measuring vital signs, and restorative care. The program’s clinical experience is at a long term care facility and Griffin Hospital for a total of 40 hours. 

After successfully completing the course and clinical experience, students will be qualified to take the certification exam for a Nursing Assistant in Connecticut. The CNA course tuition fee includes the course book, CPR training, liability insurance and the 40 hour clinical rotation.

Anyone 18 years of age or older with a high school diploma or GED may apply for admission. Early application is 

encouraged for all courses, as space is limited.

For more information or to set up an entrance interview, call 203-732-1276.

About the School of Allied Health Careers

Griffin Hospital's School of Allied Health Careers was one of the first hospital-based schools of its kind to be authorized by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education and offers Phlebotomy and other professional educational programs to provide training, education, and certification in selected health careers. Classes are taught by certified instructors in the Griffin Hospital Medical Building, located at 300 Seymour Avenue in Derby.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Star-Studded Gala

DERBY - The 2019 Griffin Health Gala Oct. 11 will be a star-studded event as top celebrity impersonators from Las Vegas bring glitz and glam to Aria in Prospect.

The event will run from 6:30-11:30 p.m.

Master Impersonators, The Edwards Twins, will present An Evening with the Stars, a rollicking live performance of musical hits from legendary musical superstars. 

The Edwards Twins have performed all over the world and received rave reviews from national media, including the NBC Today show, USA Today and The Boston Globe.

Guests will also be treated to exquisite dining to match Aria’s delightfully manicured and sculpted gardens, and breathtaking scenic views of autumn in Connecticut.

The evening closes out with dancing to the invigorating and eclectic sounds of La Blanc Entertainment. There will also be a silent auction for guests to bid on exciting items, fabulous experiences, and one-of-a-kind memorabilia.

Tickets start at $195 per person. Black tie is suggested.

Proceeds from the Gala will help develop and sustain essential programs and services that address the wide-ranging health care needs of the communities Griffin serves ensuring access to innovative, high-quality care in a healing, person-centered environment.

The Friend A. Russ Fund will be honored with the 2019 Presidents Award at the Gala.

Tickets can be purchased at griffinhealth.org/gala. 

For more information on tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact Griffin Hospital Development Fund, 203-732-7355, or gala@griffinhealth.org.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Girl Scouts Doing Good Things

DERBY – Girl Scout Troops 38392 and 38325, of Milford, helped make visits to the Griffin Hospital Emergency Department a little more comforting with a donation of books, magazines and toys.

Griffin recently started collecting items and activities, such as paperback books, crossword puzzles, toys and playing cards, to help patients, especially children, feel more comfortable during their stay in the Emergency Department.

Maggie Cole, a patient safety monitor at Griffin and leader for Girl Scout Troops 38392 and 38325, heard about the need and organized collections that included area troops as well.

The Scouts delivered several bags of children’s books, magazines and toys to the Emergency Department recently.

“We are very grateful to Maggie and all the scouts for this donation,” said ER Nurse Susan Rupar. “We plan to have a cart with books and items to help patients pass the time as they wait for test results or for treatment.”

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Griffin Hospital Recognized by New England Donor Services

DERBY - Griffin Hospital, in Derby, recently received the Health and Human Services Work Place for Life (WPFL) Gold Recognition Award from New England Donor Services for raising awareness about organ donation.

The WPFL Hospital Campaign encourages hospitals to coordinate donor awareness and registry enrollment activities with their staff, patients and community members. The goals of the campaign are to increase organ and tissue donation awareness in the surrounding community, cultivate a hospital culture that incorporates educating and registering potential donors as part of their standard mission, and provide online organ and tissue donor registration opportunities.

Griffin was a valued partner of New England Donor Services for the 2018 campaign, assisting in 11 tissue donations.

Partners in the WPFL campaign are committed to building awareness of the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation registration. According to New England Donor Services, there are more than 110,000 people in the U.S. are on the waiting list for a life-saving organ transplants. One donor has the potential of saving up to nine lives through organ donation and can enhance the lives of 50 people through tissue donation.

For more information about organ donation, visit donatelife.net.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Griffin Offers Summer CNA Course

DERBY - The Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers, 300 Seymour Ave., Suite 206 in Derby, is offering a summer session of its Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) course starting July 15.

The School is also taking applications for its Certified Clinical Medical Assistant course starting in the fall.

The CNA course offers students an affordable and condensed six-week schedule with classes Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Course content includes infection control, legal and ethical responsibilities, communications, body mechanics, moving and positioning residents, personal care skills, nutrition, measuring vital signs, and restorative care. 

The program’s clinical experience is at a long term stay facility and Griffin Hospital from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a total of 40 hours. After successfully completing the course and clinical experience, students will be qualified to take the certification exam for a Nursing Assistant in Connecticut. The CNA course tuition fee includes the course book, CPR training, and malpractice insurance coverage for the clinical rotation.

The Medical Assistant program prepares students to become multi-skilled healthcare professionals that specialize in outpatient settings. Medical assistants perform both clinical and administrative duties and assist a variety of providers including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Graduates of this program may find entry-level positions in medical offices, clinics, urgent care centers and may work in general medicine or specialty practices. This program also provides the diversity of other job options in the hospital or laboratory setting.

Set to start in the fall, the program will run for 28 weeks with classes five days a week from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., including 160 clinical hours at Griffin Faculty Physicians’ primary care offices and specialty offices such as gastroenterology, OB-GYN, surgical and cardiology.

Anyone 18 years of age or older with a high school diploma or GED may apply for admission. 

Early application is encouraged for all courses, as space is limited.

For more information or to apply, call 203-732-1276 or 203-732-7578 or visit griffinhealth.org/allied-health.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Baby Fair Onboard April 27

DERBY– Expectant parents, new parents and their families can get a good feel for the area’s maternity and child care resources from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat., April 27 at Griffin Hospital’s Annual Baby Fair.

Held at The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital, 130 Division Street in Derby, this free event features more than 30 exhibitors, door prizes, tours of the Childbirth Center and information about the Center’s classes and support groups for before and after childbirth.

Griffin Hospital offers family-centered maternity care in an environment designed to best meet individual and family needs. The Center features private, family-friendly rooms, expert staff for maternal and newborn care, and lactation consultants. The Childbirth Center received the Baby-Friendly designation from the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), an international honor is given to hospitals that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and that help parents make informed choices about feeding and caring for their babies.

For more information about The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital, call 203-732-7252 or visit griffinhealth.org/cbc.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Free Head, Neck and Oral Cancer Screenings

DERBY –Griffin Hospital will offer free oral, head and neck cancer screenings from 4-6 p.m. on Thurs.  April 11 at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Ave., Derby.

This is the eighth straight year Griffin has offered the free screenings to the community. Held during Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week®, the free screenings aim to catch cancers that arise in the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, thyroid glands, salivary glands, throat or larynx (voice box) at an early, and treatable stage.

“Griffin Hospital urges our community members to participate in our free head and neck screening,” said Dr. Joseph Cardinale, Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Griffin Hospital. “Individuals will receive a thorough exam and learn more of the symptoms of head and neck cancers, which include a lump or a sore that does not heal, a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty in swallowing, and a change or hoarseness in the voice. These symptoms may also be caused by other, less serious conditions. However, it’s important to get screened right away. For our community members who are tobacco users or who have a higher risk of contracting human papillomavirus (HPV) due to having multiple partners, we strongly urge each individual to get screened as both are high risk factors for oral, head and neck cancers.”

The screening is painless and takes about 10 minutes. Space for the free screenings is limited, so early registration is encouraged. To register, call 203-732-1280.

The Head and Neck Cancer Alliance estimates that there will be more than 550,000 new cases of oral, head and neck cancer diagnosed worldwide in 2019, and many individuals will not be aware of their cancer until it has reached an advanced stage. Oral, head and neck cancer is now ranked in the top six cancers worldwide.

Last year, 63 individuals were screened at the Center. As a result of the screenings, four individuals were referred for further evaluation.

About Oral Head and Neck Cancer

Most oral cancers arise on the lips, tongue or the floor of the mouth. They also may occur inside the cheeks, on the gums or on the roof of the mouth. Oropharyngeal cancers related to HPV are often found in the tonsil or base of tongue. Other head and neck cancers arise from the voice box or throat, or from salivary (spit) glands or the thyroid gland.

Some early signs and symptoms include:

• A red or white spot in your mouth that doesn't heal or that increases in size
• Sore throat or swollen tonsil
• Changes in your voice
• A lump in your neck
• Earache
• Difficulty swallowing

Tobacco (including smokeless tobacco) and alcohol use are very high risk factors for oral, head and neck cancers, particularly those of the tongue, mouth, throat and voice box. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has recently emerged as having a connection to oropharyngeal (tonsil and base of tongue) cancer, particularly in non-smokers and younger age groups.

While anyone can develop thyroid cancers, a family history or exposure to radiation is considered a risk factor that may increase the risk. Most salivary gland cancers do not seem to be associated with any particular cause.

If you have any of these warning signs, do not wait for the free screenings. Contact your physician or call the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital at 203-732-1280.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Griffin to Host Presentation on Back Pain

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will offer a free presentation on lower back pain at 5:45 p.m. March 12.

Spine Surgeon Chanakya K. Jandhyala, MD, will present “The Lowdown on Low Back Pain,” an interactive discussion on the causes of low back pain, how it is diagnosed, and the conservative, interventional, and surgical treatment techniques and approaches.

Jandhyala will be available at the end of the presentation to answer any questions from attendees.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information or to reserve a spot, call Griffin Hospital Orthopedic Care Specialist Amy Gagne, 203-732-7524.

The hospital is at 130 Division St.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Kick the Habit at Griffin

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will offer education, advice and support to help individuals prepare to quit smoking with its four-week smoking cessation program starting Feb. 13.

“That’s It – Learn to Quit” teaches a variety of methods to help individuals quit smoking. The program consists of Wednesday night meetings from 5:30-7 p.m. scheduled for Feb. 13, 20 and 27, and March 6 at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Ave., Derby. There is also a “reunion” for graduates of the program on March 13 at 5:30 p.m. in the Center.

"The goal of the program is to help you learn how to quit,” said Richard Le Pera, a co-coordinator of the program. “There are different methods of quitting and managing nicotine withdrawal. If one method didn’t work for you in the past we’ll help you understand all your options.”

Through group discussion and interactive activities, participants learn how to develop a quit plan that addresses their personal behaviors and habits. Strategies to manage nicotine withdrawal, behaviors, triggers, and urges are discussed as well as weight control and stress management. Participants must be prepared to attend all four sessions.

To register for “That’s It – Learn to Quit,” call 203-732-7106.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Valley Woman Wins Big

Vicky O’Connor, center, with Kate Marks
and Griffin Hospital President/CEO Patrick Charmel.

  

SHELTON - Vicky O’Connor, of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, was the big winner at the 2nd Annual Diamond Dig fundraiser at Marks of Design in Shelton.

 

O’Connor picked the lucky bucket that contained a one-carat diamond from Antwerp, Belgium. More than 800 carats of precious gemstones were awarded in the event, which raised more than $11,000 for the Valley Goes Pink Campaign.

 

The Valley Goes Pink is a grassroots, community-wide effort throughout the Lower Naugatuck Valley to create awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection, support the Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital, and showcase partnering organizations.

 

For more information about the Valley Goes Pink, visit griffinhealth.org/pink.

Griffin to Offer AARP Driver Safety Course

DERBY - Griffin Hospital will host an AARP Driver Safety Program from 8:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Sept. 15 at the hospital, 130 Division St. 

 

The AARP Driver Safety Program is the nation's first and largest refresher course for drivers. While the course is geared toward drivers age 50 and older, the course is open to everyone.

 

The training is designed to help you learn current rules of the road, how to operate your vehicle more safely in today's increasingly challenging driving environment, and make some adjustments to common age-related changes in vision, hearing, and reaction time.

 

The course also covers such topics as how to maintain proper following distance at all times; the safest way to change lanes and make turns at intersections; the effects of medications on driving; how to minimize the effect of dangerous blind spots; the importance of eliminating distractions, such as eating, smoking, and cell-phone use; proper use of safety belts, air bags, and anti-lock brakes and ways to monitor your own and others' driving skills and capabilities.

 

Participants will gain a greater appreciation of driving challenges and how they can avoid potential collisions and injuries to themselves and others. As an added bonus, participants can check with their auto insurance company about discounts for completing the course.

 

The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Make checks payable to “AARP.”

To register, call Esther at 203-732-1523.

 

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)