MENU

Sections

More

March 30, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

Health Health Notes

“Shore to Shore” Health Screenings Event Attracts Watermen, Marine Industry Workers

by Leave a Comment

Share

“Shore to Shore: Free Health Screenings for Marine Industry Workers” attracted strong participation from watermen, boat builders and other marine industry employees from the Kent County region.

The March 16th event at the American Legion in Rock Hall was a collaborative effort of University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown’s Rural Health Care Transformation and Community Outreach teams, Choptank Community Health Services, the Kent County Health Department and the Rock Hall Lions Club. Multiple health screenings (blood pressure, hearing, skin cancer and diabetes) were offered and health education materials and resources were provided.

Kira Thrift, NP, a primary care provider with Choptank Community Health Services, gives a hearing test to Jerry Spencer.

“The Shore to Shore event was a great success. We are thrilled to have provided free health screenings to 41 watermen and marine industry workers,” said Lara Wilson, Director of Rural Health Care Transformation for UM Shore Regional Health. “I was warmed to hear the great feedback from several participants about how much this event meant to them– the fact that health care professionals would come out to Rock Hall to make sure they could access these important health care screenings close to home and work.”

Screenings were made possible by a health disparities grant from the Kent County Health Department, and were provided by Choptank Community Health System providers and members of Shore Community Outreach Team (formerly the Mobile Wellness Team). Lions Club members provided information about obtaining eyeglasses, and the Kent County Health Department supplied health information materials.

“We are so grateful to these community partners who collaborated with us to make this unique event possible,” said Wilson. “The strong turnout and enthusiasm of the local marine industry and watermen community makes this a great example of effective rural health care delivery – meeting people where they are to improve their access to health care services and identify possible issues that can be addressed before they become so serious that emergency care or hospitalization is required.”

“Choptank Health is always exploring partnerships to expand our services and support healthy communities,” said Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich. “Working together with the Kent County Health Department, Shore Community Outreach Team and the Lions Club demonstrates what we can do when we come together, and this collaboration aligns with our mission of providing access to health care for all.”

UM Shore Medical Center’s Rural Health Care Transformation Director Lara Wilson, was on hand to greet screening participants with Gladys Peeples and Community Health Advocate Serenity Kelly.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

UM SMC Mobile Wellness Team Announces Name Change: Shore Community Outreach Team

by Leave a Comment

Share

University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown’s Mobile Wellness Team is now called Shore Community Outreach Team. The rebranding is in anticipation of Choptank Community Health System’s plans to launch a mobile wellness program that will include a van staffed by medical care providers offering health care services in locations throughout Kent County.

The mission of Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT) is to improve the health of Kent and northern Queen Anne’s residents by collaborating with partner organizations to bring health care access and support services to in their home settings and at convenient community sites. SCOT provides home safety inspections, assistance with preparing advance directives, blood pressure checks, health screenings, case management for those with chronic illnesses (including diabetes, heart failure, COPD, etc.), wellness activities and arranging telehealth consults with health care providers.

Providing connections to community resources is another key focus for the team, which includes Emily Welsh, MSN, RN, nurse coordinator, community advocates Amanda Webster and Serenity Kelly, CCHW, and social worker Michelle Matthews, MSW, LSCW-C.

“All too often, people aren’t aware that help is available through government agencies and nonprofit organizations. We are happy to assist in finding the right community resources for individuals and families in need,” Welsh said.

To learn more about the Shore Community Outreach Team, request services or make a referral, call 410-778-3300, ext. 5644 or email ewelsh@umm.edu.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health
As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

About the University of Maryland Medical System
The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state’s future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools (Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry) in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s more than 29,500 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations, including 12 hospitals and 9 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers. The UMMS flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care. Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Neurofeedback Helps Trauma Patients Regulate Emotions

by Leave a Comment

Share

Carol Strootman, LCSW-C, Assistant Clinical Director and Certified Traumaplay Therapist

For All Seasons has been offering neurofeedback, a type of biofeedback that utilizes a person’s brain activity (EEG) as a tool for therapeutic intervention, for quite some time. Now, the agency has three clinicians in its Easton, Denton, and Chestertown offices who are trained to provide the treatment which can reduce the effects of many emotional and physical conditions without medication for people across the lifespan. The treatment is done in conjunction with psychotherapy to reduce compulsive behaviors and/or improve self-regulation.

‘’Neurofeedback helps measure arousal in the brain and helps stabilize heightened arousal levels, making clients more aware and cognizant and able to focus better. It can help the brain work more effectively,” comments Carol Strootman, LCSW-C, Assistant Clinical Director and Certified Traumaplay Therapist at For All Seasons who administers neurofeedback in the Denton and Chestertown offices.

“This type of therapy is very useful for people with a traumatic past and helps them learn to pause in stressful situations instead of reacting. Weekly sessions are normally 30 minutes long and are given 10 to 20 times to get lasting results. Some insurance companies reimburse for this therapy.”

In the neurofeedback process, the therapist helps the client identify four to five behaviors to address in the therapy. The client is connected to an EEG machine for the therapist to observe brain waves on the computer screen as the client plays certain computer games. The client gets a beep to reward certain behaviors in the game which helps him/her achieve better emotional regulation while playing the game. By playing repeated games, the brain creates new pathways leading to a reduction in mental health symptoms.

“Neurofeedback can also help treat depression, anxiety, and phobias. It can be another therapeutic modality to offer when other treatments may not be working or when clients are not making progress in talk therapy,” states Jen Friedman, LMSW, Certified Trauma Play Therapist and Licensed Clinician at For All Seasons.

Jen Friedman, LMSW, Certified Trauma Play Therapist and Licensed Clinician

 

“You can notice small differences after a few sessions and even greater differences after 10 sessions. People who do have great success with it do use it for tune-ups periodically to help them regulate their emotions.”

Strootman adds that neurofeedback helps get the brain in a better state to better accept talk therapy. She adds, “Neurofeedback helps the brain heal itself and process things differently. It also can help therapy to happen more efficiently.”

One client who came to the agency with serious PTSD sought out neurofeedback to help with all of her symptoms. She found the therapeutic modality to be particularly helpful in addressing her PTSD symptoms, including overcoming significant nightmares she was having.

“It helps take the noise away from the brain, similar to what medication can achieve, allowing the brain to be reflective and to receive new skills,” Friedman adds.

 

 

 

 

Joseph Cox, LMSW, Clinical Therapist, Neurofeedback clinic

This treatment modality is offered at For All Seasons Easton, Denton, and Chestertown offices with Strootman, Friedman, and Joseph Cox providing this service. Therapists consider the therapeutic modality for clients on a case-by-case basis and determine if the client is a good candidate for this therapy option in addition to talk therapy.

Treatment areas that use neurofeedback include complex trauma, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, Bi-Polar Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, addictions, and muscular tics. The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) endorses neurofeedback in the treatment of ADHD. It is used across the life span most often in conjunction with psychotherapy.

For All Seasons provides the highest quality mental health and victim services to children, adults, and families across Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Services are offered in both English and Spanish and include therapy, psychiatry, victim advocacy, 24-hour crisis hotlines, outreach, and community education. For further information, contact For All Seasons at 410-822-1018 or visit forallseasonsinc.org.

Free Health Screenings Offered for Marine Industry Workers in Rock Hall on March 16

by Leave a Comment

Share

“Shore to Shore,” an afternoon featuring free health care screenings for marine industry workers, is planned for Thursday, March 16, 12 noon to 4 p.m. in Rock Hall.

Provided by UM Shore Medical Center’s Rural Health Care Transformation Team and the Shore Community Outreach Team (formerly known as the Mobile Wellness Team) in partnership with Choptank Community Health Services, the “Shore to Shore” event will take place at the American Legion Post 228, 21423 East Sharp Street in Rock Hall. Screenings offered include blood pressure checks, hearing tests, skin checks for signs of melanoma and A1C measurement for diabetes.

As an incentive to participate in the event, the first 40 participants to undergo all four screenings will receive a $100 gas card. No appointment is needed; screenings will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.

“We know that watermen, boat builders, marina workers and others in the marine industry work long hours that can make it hard to get to their primary care providers and various medical specialists for evaluation of possible health issues,” said Lara Wilson, Director, Rural Health Care Transformation, UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. “We are excited to offer a convenient, one-stop opportunity to get key screenings done all at once, including free refreshments and the gas card opportunity as a bonus.”

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Clinical Trial Aids Chestertown Man in Beating Aggressive Cancer

by 2 Comments

Share

Rick Miller stands in front of one of the boats in his workshop at Miller’s Marine Services in Chestertown.

When Chestertown native Rick Miller began exhibiting puzzling and severe symptoms — fainting spells, changes in his speech and behavior, trouble walking, migraines and periods of confusion — he and his wife, Diana Miller, knew that he would likely require highly specialized care. The 61-year-old was ultimately diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer and received a combination of surgery and cancer treatments, thanks to the coordinated efforts of physicians within the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS).

Miller’s journey began in 2019 in the Emergency Department of University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, where his wife had formerly worked as a critical care nurse. After undergoing emergency brain surgery at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, Miller was treated in an innovative clinical trial at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, led by Graeme Woodworth, MD, FACS. Nearly four years later, Miller remains cancer-free.

Through its affiliation as a member organization hospital of UMMS, UM Shore Regional Health physicians benefit from the academic health System’s focus and pursuit of innovation and discovery-based medicine.

On that night in March 2019, during the initial trip to the hospital in Chestertown, Miller couldn’t have known where his journey back to health would take him. After quickly ruling out a cardiac issue, the emergency care team rushed him in for a cranial CT scan, where they discovered a 5-centimeter lesion on the right side of his brain.

Emergency Department physician Steven Lucas, MD, sent Miller’s CT slides to UM SRH neurosurgeon Khalid Kurtom, MD, FAANS, FACS, for review. Dr. Kurtom is on-call 24/7/365 for neurological and spinal consultations requested by UM SRH emergency departments in Cambridge, Chestertown, Easton and Queenstown. He quickly recognized the source of Miller’s symptoms: a glioblastoma, which is a malignant or cancerous tumor affecting the brain or spine, and directed Miller to be transferred to UM Shore Medical Center at Easton for emergency surgery.

“You could see the tumor pushing and crowding Rick’s brain,” Diana Miller said.

Khalid Kurtom, MD, FAANS, FACS

Once Miller arrived, Dr. Kurtom needed to make sure some of the swelling in Miller’s brain was reduced before he could safely perform the surgery. Three days later, Dr. Kurtom performed a craniotomy mass resection, a surgical procedure in which part of the skull is removed in order to view the brain, and also a gross total resection to remove the tumor.

“The main goals of this type of surgery are to obtain tissue for diagnosis, remove pressure from the brain and to improve the patient’s prognosis,” said Dr. Kurtom, who joined UM Shore Regional Health in 2010 and now serves as Medical Director, UM Shore Medical Group – Neurosurgery, Chair of the UM SRH Surgical Department, Adjunct Associate Professor with the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and the Regional Chief of the University of Maryland Neuroscience Network.

The surgery was performed with minimal tissue disruption through a small opening in the brain. Miller was in the Intensive Care Unit at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton for only one day and was discharged within two days of his operation.

“An MRI scan after the surgery confirmed that the entirety of the tumor had been removed,” Dr. Kurtom said.

“To this day, when my doctors review my post-op scans, they remark on how clear the margins are from my surgery with Dr. Kurtom,” Miller said.

According to Dr. Kurtom, glioblastomas are typically recurring, very aggressive and generally fast-growing, so despite removal of the tumor, Miller still faced months of uncertain cancer treatment.

Because of this, following her husband’s surgery, Diana Miller wanted to pursue clinical study options in order to hopefully improve his chances for a positive outcome.

“A series of conversations led him to the right clinical trial,” Diana Miller said. “It was Dr. Haroon Ahmad, our medical oncologist at UMMC, who first presented the trial to us after we questioned what was available. That got the ball rolling. Dr. Ahmad contacted Dr. Mark Mishra, Rick’s radiation oncologist, and that’s how Dr. Woodworth, who at the time was looking for participants in a new clinical study, became aware of Rick. If not for the communication between these physicians, he would not have made it into the trial. This is all because of the great collaboration between Rick’s physicians and Dr. Kurtom.”

At a weekly conference called the Tumor Board that enables doctors across UMMS to discuss their patients’ tumors, Dr. Kurtom presented Miller’s case to a team of specialists involved in cancer care, including surgeons, radiologists, hematologists/oncologists and radiation oncologists.

“This is one of the tools we have because of our relationship with UMMS, and our unified cancer program. We discuss each case at length and review the options each patient has for treatment,” Dr. Kurtom said.

During this conference, Dr. Kurtom and Dr. Woodworth, Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and Director of the Brain Tumor Program at University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Chief of Neurosurgery at University of Maryland Medical Center, discussed Miller’s case. The team offered him a new type of treatment in a clinical trial in which patients would receive targeted focused ultrasound to open the blood-brain barrier, the brain’s protective layer, to allow chemotherapy drugs to reach the affected area.

In patients with glioblastoma, even after maximal, safe surgical removal, there are invading tumor cells within the surrounding functional brain regions. These invading tumors cells are shielded from most treatments, like chemotherapies, by the blood-brain barrier. During the trial, patients received an infusion of bioinert microbubbles (also used as ultrasound contrast agents in radiology). The microbubbles become activated in the ultrasound field, producing temporary openings in the barrier, increasing the delivery and effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs to these regions.

Miller was one of 15 patients accepted into the worldwide study, which is now closed and not accepting new patients, and Dr. Woodworth and the multi-institutional team working on the trial will be publishing the results of the first safety and feasibility trial soon. With this study complete, they are working to begin the next phase of investigation into this promising new therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma and other brain diseases.

During the clinical trial, Miller also received seven weeks of radiation therapy five days a week, along with seven weeks of chemotherapy. This treatment was provided at University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC), located at UMMC in downtown Baltimore. His last day of radiation treatment was June 4, 2019, and his last day of chemotherapy also happened to take place during the last day of his participation in the clinical trial, November 21, 2019.

Almost four years later, Miller is cancer free, according to his radiation oncologist, Mark Mishra, MD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at UM School of Medicine, Director of Clinical Research for the Department of Radiation Oncology and Associate Director of the University of Maryland Cancer Network. Dr. Mishra recently saw Miller for a follow-up MRI.

“His last scan showed no evidence of any cancer recurrence and he does not need to be seen again for another six months, at which time he will get another MRI at the Maryland Proton Treatment Center in Baltimore,” said Dr. Mishra. “We are all pleased and encouraged with Mr. Miller’s response to treatment. In addition to his good MRI scans, it is especially encouraging to see that he has been able to maintain a high quality of life for years after completing treatment. We hope to further study this novel treatment approach to see if this approach can be further explored to help other patients with a glioblastoma.”

Miller credits his endurance during the past three years to the strength, perseverance and guidance of his wife, who never left his side.

“He told me from the beginning that he didn’t want to die, so I set about making sure that didn’t happen,” Diana Miller said.

“What Mr. Miller went through — from being seen in the Chestertown emergency department, to my review of his scans and his transfer to Easton for emergency surgery, to his trips across the Bridge for advanced cancer treatment — this is a common path for our patients who need highly specialized care. The tools are in place, the relationship with UMMS is in place. We are well-equipped to deliver high-quality care to each and every patient that comes through our doors on the Eastern Shore,” Dr. Kurtom said.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Healthy Living Classes Begins March 2 in St. Michaels

by Leave a Comment

Share

The St. Michaels Community Center in partnership with the Talbot County Health Department is offering two classes promoting healthier living that are free and open to the public, with limited participation and preregistration needed.

Both six-week classes take place in small group settings at the St. Michaels Community Center at 207 N. Talbot St. and include a cooking demonstration that will show how to prepare healthy meals utilizing ingredients available from the pantry. Dinner will be provided to all participants.

The first class focuses on chronic disease self-management and takes place on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. beginning March 2 and continuing through April 6.

The workshop will provide tips and techniques for pain and fatigue management, dealing with depression, healthy eating and exercise, medication management, working with healthcare providers, goal setting, problem solving, and more.

Diabetes self-management is the focus of the second class and takes place on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. beginning March 22 and continuing through April 26.

This workshop will help adults with Type 2 diabetes or who are pre diabetic with management tips including defining diabetes, dealing with stress, appropriate exercise, carb-counting, addressing high and low blood sugar, healthy eating, menu planning, and more.

Registration for the workshops can be made by calling SMCC at 410-745-6073 or emailing stephanie@stmichaelscc.org.

The Maryland Living Well Center of Excellence serves residents throughout the state of Maryland with a variety of evidence-based programs to improve self-management of chronic conditions along with wellness programs promoting health and preventing disease.

Donations to the St. Michaels Community Center’s annual fund and proceeds from its Treasure Cove Thrift Shop, located on Railroad Ave. in St. Michaels, help provide essential human services, programs, and community events for people in St. Michaels and from throughout Maryland’s Bay Hundred area. The nonprofit is currently undergoing an adaptive redesign of its building, with architectural renderings, new programming information, and more at www.stmichaelscc.org/future.

Compass’ Grief Support Services Winter Offerings

by Leave a Comment

Share

Compass’ Grief Services team will be hosting a variety of different support groups and workshops coming up. One of the critical factors in healing is the support of other people. Having a community of others who have also experiences grief allow you to feel someone else “gets it”. With each group and workshop below our grief support group will give you the tools for handling grief, plus the support of others with similar losses.

Loss of a Spouse or Partner 8-Week Support Group (Feb. 23-Apr. 13): A critical aspect in healing is the support of other people.  This 8-week support group (every Thursday 12:00-1:30pm) for individuals who have lost a spouse or partner will be structured around discussion and sharing with the goal of fostering peer support and introducing tools and skills to navigate your grief.  Please join us!  For more information, contact Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 or rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org.

All Loss8-Week Support Group (Feb.23-Apr.13): This 8-week support group (every Thursday 6:00-7:30 pm) is for individuals 18 and older, who have experienced any type of loss. Throughout the course of 8 weeks, this will be a safe space to share your journey with others who have had similar experiences. Your feelings and reactions are common in what feels like an abnormal situation or uncharted waters. To register or get more information contact Sherrie Young at syoung1@compassregionalhospice.org or 443-262-4120

Bereaved Parents Group: Join our monthly drop-in group (first Monday of the month) for individuals (18 and older), who have experienced the loss of a child at any age, regardless of the circumstances. It is located at the Hope & Healing Center (Barnette Center). This support group is a safe place for parents to understand that they are not alone in their grief and to appreciate that everyone grieves differently. For more information, contact Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 or rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org.

Caregiver Support Group: Family caregivers take on so much-from cooking and cleaning to managing medications, looking after finances, and coordinating doctor appointments. It is a monthly drop-in group on the second Thursday of each month 1:00-2:30pm. It will be hosted at the Hope & Healing Center (Barnette Center) (255 Comet Dr. Centreville, MD 21617). This is a place where spouses and adult children can share their sorrows and problems, joys and successes, resources and solutions. Please reach out to Rhonda Knotts 443-262-4109 or rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org with any questions.

Stigmatized Loss: Join our monthly drop-in group (last Tuesday of the month 6:00-7:30pm) for individuals (18 and older). A critical aspect in healing is sharing and connection. The goal of this monthly drop-in is to provide a safe, supportive space for individuals who have lost a loved one to overdose or suicide. We hope you can join us. It is located at the Hope & Healing Center (Barnette Center) (255 Comet Dr. Centreville, MD 21617). For more information, contact Sherrie Young 443-262-4120 or syoung1@compassregionalhospice.org.

Men’s Coffee Hour: Join our monthly drop-in group staring March 14th(second Tuesday of the month9:00-10:00am).

  • Imagine a social outlet for men
  • Imagine a place where everyone’s intent is to hear what to say
  • Imagine a place where you are encouraged to move forward through life’s challenges and towards your aspirations and goals

It’s free. It’s confidential. It’s facilitated. Take a step and discover what other men are doing to navigate through life’s challenges. The group will be meeting at the Hope & Healing Center (Barnette Center) (255 Comet Dr. Centreville, MD 21617). For more information, contact Sherrie Young 443-262-4120 or syoung1@compassregionalhospice.org.

Compass has more support groups and events coming up throughout the year. If you have any questions about these groups or would like to learn more about Compass’ grief support services, please contact Rhonda Knotts at rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org or 443-262-4109.

Compass

Since 1985, Compass has been allowing patients to spend their final months the way they choose, guiding loved ones after a life-limiting diagnosis, and showing individuals healthy ways to manage their grief. Today, the organization is a regional provider of hospice care, supportive care, and grief services in Caroline, Kent, and Queen Anne’s counties. Whether serving their patients in private residences, skilled nursing facilities, or Compass’ residential center in Centreville, staff and volunteers are guided by their mission to ensure that individuals facing end of life can live out their days in a full and meaningful way.

Compass is a fully licensed, independent, community-based nonprofit organization certified by Medicare and the state of Maryland and accredited by the Joint Commission. It is affiliated with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Hospice & Palliative Care Network of Maryland. For more information about Compass, call 443-262-4100 or visit compassregionalhospice.org.

Choptank Health Promotes Pediatric Dental Health in February

by Leave a Comment

Share

Choptank Health Pediatric Dentist Usman Ali, DMD

Choptank Health is building awareness about the importance of pediatric dental health in recognition of February’s designation as National Children’s Dental Health Month and National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month.

National Children’s Dental Health Month is sponsored by the American Dental Association as a month-long health observance bringing together thousands of dedicated professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers, and many others.

“Oral health is extremely important for children as a preventative tool,” said Choptank Community Health’s Chief Dental Officer Sandra Garbely-Kerkovich, DMD. “Evidence continues to mount connecting oral health to adult health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and more.

“When we can prevent any oral health problems from occurring in the first place and early on in a child’s life, we can help that child grow into an overall healthier adult,” says Dr. Garbely.

Choptank Health’s dental healthcare team includes two pediatric dentists that are trained and specialize in treating young patients. Hadeel Alhassani, DDS, and Usman Ali, DMD see pediatric patients at Choptank Health’s dental centers in Cambridge, Denton, Federalsburg, Goldsboro, and St. Michaels, with new pediatric dental patients now being accepted.

February is also recognized each year by the School-Based Health Alliance to help raise awareness about how school-based health centers revolutionize the way children and adolescents access healthcare services.

Choptank Health Pediatric Dentist Hadeel Alhassani, DDS

The Alliance says school-based health care is also a commonsense idea gaining currency across the country as it places critically needed services like medical, behavioral, dental, and vision care directly in schools so that all young people, no matter their zip code, have equal opportunity to learn and grow.

Dr. Garbely and Community Based Program Director Chrissy Bartz, PAC, MMS oversee the school-based dental program, with enrolled Pre-K through 12th-grade students enrolled in each school eligible to receive care at any location. Local Head Start and Judy Center students are also able to participate.

Registered dental hygienists at Choptank Health’s School-Based Health Centers and on-site mobile unit provide dental screenings, fluoride treatments, sealant applications, and dental hygiene education. The free dental screenings include examinations of the teeth and all soft tissues of the mouth—along with instruction on brushing and flossing, and education on the importance of eating healthy foods in good oral hygiene.

Dental services are provided to School-Based Health Center-enrolled students Dorchester County Public Schools, with dental and medical services available to students enrolled in the School-Based Health Centers of Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot County Public Schools.

Choptank Community Health System provides medical, dental, and School-Based health services to more than 30,000 adults and children in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare for all. Medical services include primary healthcare, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, chronic health management, care navigation, and more.

A list of School-Based Health Center participating schools and enrollment forms are available at www.choptankhealth.org/schoolbased.

More on School-Based Health Awareness Month:

https://www.sbh4all.org/what-we-do/school-based-health-care/awareness-month/

More on the ADA’s National Children’s Dental Health Month:

https://www.ada.org/resources/community-initiatives/national-childrens-dental-health-month

$750,000 Grant from FHL Bank Atlanta Awarded to Habitat Choptank

by Leave a Comment

Share

Habitat Choptank is one of 14 affordable housing initiatives in seven states that was awarded funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) in 2022, and it’s the only project funded in Maryland. The grant is through FHLBank Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Program and will support Habitat Choptank’s ambitious project on Wells Street in Cambridge by supporting a portion of the costs associated with constructing eight single-family affordable homes for ownership. BayVanguard Bank, a local bank and member of FHLBank Atlanta partnered with Habitat Choptank, making it possible for the grant application to move forward and is also providing a construction bridge loan to Habitat Choptank to assist in financing the construction costs.  Grant funding provided by FHLBank Atlanta will be paid out over the next two years as these new affordable homes are sold.

Seven of the eight homes will be constructed with two stories and will include 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a first-floor bedroom and other features that would enable homeowners to successfully remain in their homes as they age.  Habitat Choptank homes are targeted toward income qualifying buyers earning between 35 and 65% of the Area Median Income in Dorchester or Talbot Counties and are built to be energy efficient and to last.  Features of these homes include:  concrete and brick front porch and steps; GAF architectural shingles (50-year transferrable warranty); prefinished Hardie plank siding (extended color & material warranties); laminate hardwood flooring typically (20-year warranty); ceramic tile floors in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room (30-year lifespan); fiberglass doors and vinyl windows; energy star heat pump water heater reduces utility bills; improved insulation and air sealing reduces utility bills and improves comfort; and, conditioned crawlspace controls temperature & humidity for improved energy efficiency.

The 2019 Housing and Market Analysis prepared as part of the Cambridge Neighborhood Revitalization plan looked at the economic challenges driven by the lack of safe, affordable housing stock. This plan revealed that “Nearly one out of every four Cambridge households (24%) was severely housing cost burdened in 2017, paying more than 50% of their income on housing costs. More broadly, approximately 46% of all Cambridge households are considered cost burdened paying in excess of 30% of their income on housing expenses. Preservation of an affordable rental housing stock, and homeownership opportunities for the entire income spectrum will be important as upward pressure on prices is likely to continue in Cambridge.”

Habitat for Humanity Choptank plays a vital role in a community such as Cambridge, empowering low-income households to improve their housing conditions so that their dreams for the future, a future for themselves and their families, can become a reality. The organization’s core values help to make that happen:  sweat equity, financial education, and counseling are keys to their success along with partnering with local and state government, community foundations, nonprofit organizations, and individual members from the community who lend their time, talent, and support to work alongside local families as they strive to achieve homeownership or undertake emergency and necessary repairs on their homes.

The Habitat model has been working for 30 years with the organization having a foreclosure rating of less than 2% after building 102 homes.  All this work drives important social and economic outcomes as stable housing has a tremendous impact on family and community health, improved education outcomes for children and increased financial stability and opportunity. In addition to these benefits, building and repairing homes also stimulates other sectors of the economy – driving additional spending and creating more local jobs.

If you are interested in owning your own home on Wells Street in Cambridge, visit habitatchoptank.org to learn more about Habitat Choptank’s homeownership program and to complete the inquiry form.

Wells Street in Cambridge will soon be a thriving neighborhood of safe, affordable, and energy-efficient homes.

About Habitat Choptank

Since 1992, Habitat Choptank has made homeownership possible for 102 families and has completed critical health and safety repairs in partnership with over 300 qualifying homeowners in Dorchester and Talbot Counties. By building and rehabbing homes, Habitat Choptank helps families achieve better health, financial freedom, independence, stability, and security. Visit habitatchoptank.org to volunteer or apply for homeownership or home repair.

About Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

FHLBank Atlanta offers competitively-priced financing, community development grants, and other banking services to help member financial institutions make affordable home mortgages and provide economic development credit to neighborhoods and communities. The Bank is a cooperative whose members are commercial banks, credit unions, savings institutions, community development financial institutions, and insurance companies located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. FHLBank Atlanta is one of 11 district banks in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Since 1990, the FHLBanks have awarded approximately $7.3 billion in Affordable Housing Program funds, assisting more than one million households. For more information, visit fhlbatl.com.

About BayVanguard Bank

BayVanguard Bank is a Maryland headquartered, full-service, community bank founded in 1873.  BayVanguard provides the full range of banking products and services with a flexible and responsive delivery.  For more information, visit www.BayVanguard.com.

Courtyard Renovations Near Completion at UM SMC at Chestertown

by Leave a Comment

Share

Thanks to the generosity of local residents, the courtyard at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown has undergone a much-needed refresh. The courtyard is a secure outdoor space used by patient and team members for meals, relaxation and occasional meetings.

“The old pavilion has been removed and a new one installed,” said Maryann Ruehrmund, Executive Director, UM Chester River Health Foundation.  “We’ve also purchased new furniture, and fresh landscaping in the spring will complete the project.”

“We can’t wait to enjoy our lunch under the new pavilion,” said Sherrie Hill, Clinical Coordinator, Cardio pulmonary Rehabilitation. “We are grateful to have this beautiful space for team members and patients and family members to enjoy.”

The Pavilion at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center

The project was funded primarily by Chestertown residents Wendy Sand Eckel and her husband, Robert Roth, who is a member of the UM Shore Regional Health Board of Directors.

Construction and walkway repair was completed by KRM Construction Company LLC; tree removal was performed by Sharp Lawn and Tree; and Lywood Electric Company provided electrical services.

Additional funds are being raised through donations to the Foundation’s annual appeal. To make a donation, visit umcrhf.org/donate.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state’s future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools (Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry) in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s more than 29,500 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations, including 13 hospitals and 9 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers. The UMMS flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care. Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. For more information, visit www.umms.org.