Health

Health section

The Dismantling of American Health Insurance

by RDavis | Health

Instead of repealing the Affordable Care Act Republicans have found other ways to erode access to health care for more Americans. Policy changes, budget cuts and the elimination of programs have made it harder for moderate and low income Americans to access Medicaid, family planning services and a host of smaller programs.

These moves don’t make headlines and the people who are hurt by the changes may not even realize that they have lost something until they need a service. They also may not know that they lost coverage they may have had because they never tried to access the kind of care they had not needed.

A Shooting a Day!

by tomaidh | Health

Thus far, there has been more than a mass shooting somewhere in the USA every day.
September 1, the 244th day of the year, marks the 283rd such shooting.

The nonprofit Gun Violence Archive tracks every mass shooting in the country. They define a mass shooting as any incident in which at least four people were shot, excluding the shooter. The GVA said there have been 37,662 total shooting incidents, resulting in 9,932 gun deaths and 19,868 injuries as of yesterday. 37 thousand incidents! That’s not self-defense, folks.

No News is Good News? — On Going News-Free

by Lise | Health

After the latest round of shootings earlier this month, I had a moment of nausea that led me to think it might be a good time for a news hiatus. The weather was gorgeous — high summer in Vermont — and an array of family were due to visit. So rather than read depressing headlines all summer, I decided to take a couple weeks off from the news. Maybe, I thought, it will make me happier and less anxious if I just don’t hear any of it.

CBD (Cannabidiol) Will Be Discussed at Inclusion Center

by Not Signed In | Health

Brattleboro, June 2,019 – Scott Sparks, from Vermont Hempicurean, Brattleboro, will be providing an introduction to CBD oils derived from hemp on Friday, June 21, at 11:00 a.m. at Inclusion Center.

The discussion will include a brief history of hemp. Participants will learn how CBD from Vermont farms can provide potential relief from pain, anxiety and sleep disorders. There will be an opportunity to sample some products and learn the ways CBD can be consumed and applied. Those in attendance will receive a coupon for 10% off their first purchase.

First Annual May Day Mocktail Event Draws A Crowd!- Dozens Come To Speak, Share, Dance and Celebrate

by BAPC | Health

Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC) held its first annual May Day Mocktail Contest and Dance Party on Wednesday, May 1, at the 118 Elliot Street Gallery. The event honored around 50 people in the Brattleboro area who signed up to take a break from drinking for BAPC’s first “Alcohol-Free April” challenge.

“Because alcohol is so prevalent in our society and our community, BAPC really wanted to use April, which is Alcohol Awareness Month, to encourage people to try to see what a month without alcohol would actually feel like,” says Cassandra Holloway, Director of BAPC. “For some, drinking alcohol can become an almost unconscious habit and we wanted to support those interested in taking the challenge and also celebrate their efforts and successes. It really is geared to be inclusive for ALL, from people looking to take a break to people in recovery”

Healthcare Jamboree in Brattleboro

by ESchwartz | Health

On May 9 the Vermont Workers’ Center will host a Healthcare Jamboree. The event will take place from 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the Brattleboro Savings & Loan Community Room, 221 Main St., Brattleboro (rear entrance). People who have questions about healthcare or who are struggling with the healthcare system, costs or other barriers to care can get information about local resources and connect with others who are organizing for the human right to healthcare.

The Healthcare Navigator from SEVCA will be on hand to help with health insurance questions. There will also be representatives from the Inclusion Center, VT Psychiatric Survivors, the VT Department of Health, and other local groups sharing their resources.

Old News Questions Answered: Yes, BMH Closed ICU in 2018

by Lise | Business, Health
BMH Brattleboro VT

Recently, the question has been posed to iBrattleboro: Has the Intensive Care Unit at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital closed or is it going to be closed? Not knowing ourselves, we called Brattleboro Memorial Hospital to ask. The answer is yes, the ICU is closed and has been for almost a year.

According to Gina Pattison, a BMH public affairs representative, the ICU at Brattleboro Memorial closed officially in June 2018 when the unit was physically removed. In its place is what is called a PCU or Progressive Care Unit, which provides a notch lower level of care than an ICU but makes more efficient use of nursing staff. The Hospital reps we spoke to made clear, however, that this change has not affected patient care.

Inclusion Center Helps Fight Isolation

by Judy Carnes | Health

Everyday living with a chronic disease, developmental disability or other medical issue presents unique challenges. Support from others can help, there is no need to go it alone.  The Inclusion Center, (a nonprofit organization located at lower level, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 16 Bradley Avenue, Brattleboro, open Mondays from 10:00 Am to 2:00 PM and Fridays from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM.), is a drop-in center for adults run by and for people with disabilities. Friendship, learning and fun for all abound. Participants come and stay as long or as little as they like, there are no fees. There is no need to qualify for programs such as Medicaid.

The Health & Wellness Resource Center – At Brooks Memorial Library

by Brooks Memorial Library | Health

February was designated American Heart Month by the American Heart Association, and the first official observance was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1963, to raise awareness of heart diseases—the number one killers of Americans, according to the CDC and to tell people about all the steps they can take to minimize their risks and improve their health.

Oct 25 Meeting About Preventing Harm to Brattleboro Residents from Opiods and other Drugs

by Not Signed In | Health

Many people in Brattleboro are aware that opioids and other drugs harm some of our community members.  One organization that works on this problem is the Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition, or BAPC, for short. Among other things,  BAPC members help facilitate the collection of unused opioids like oxycontin, so that they can be removed from Brattleboro, and disposed of; help smokers who want to quit find the resources to do so; help local bars train their staff so that they don’t accidentally serve teenagers; teach young children how to avoid getting poisoned by pills that look like candy, and many other harm-prevention related activities.

Capitol for a Day! LiveWell Vermont: Natural Remedies

by Brooks Memorial Library | Health

Join us on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, from 10:30-11:30 am for aLiveWell Vermont presentation about natural remedies. This is the first in a series of events here at Brooks Memorial Library for the Governor Scott’s “Capitol for a Day” initiative.

They will present information about natural ways to alleviate pain, and a variety of other complementary medicines in the second floor Community Meeting Room. This event is FREE and open to EVERYONE!

Free Workshop: Managing Health Care Expenses in Retirement

by Brooks Memorial Library | Health

Join us at Brooks Memorial Library on Wednesday, October 17th at 7pm for the educational workshop, “Managing Health Care Expenses in Retirement: What Baby Boomers Need to Know About Medicare and Long-Term Care.”

A health care crisis is looming in this country, and it is essential for baby boomers to understand what they need to do to prepare for it financially.

Control Your Weight with Hypnosis  

by Not Signed In | Health

Do you want to lose weight?Are you tired of diets? Thousands of people are feeling just like you do right now. Maybe diets haven’t worked for you so far, but you can try something that will give you the positive edge you need to control the cravings you have around food.

Hypnosis Helps Alleviate Fear During Medical Treatments

by Not Signed In | Health

KIRSTEN RITCHIE, 44, is no stranger to surgery — nearly 20 years ago, doctors removed four tumors from her brain. She remembers the operation and its aftermath as “horrific.”So the news that she needed brain surgery again was hardly welcome. Determined to make her second operation a better — or at least less traumatic — experience, Ms. Ritchie, an insurance marketing representative in Cleveland, turned to an unusual treatment.

Fall Hospice Volunteer Training in Townshend 

by Not Signed In | Health

Brattleboro Area Hospice’s fall Hospice Care Volunteer Training will be held at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend beginning on September 5th and running through November 14th. Classes meet once a week on Wednesdays from 2:30 – 5:30 PM and class size is limited to 12. 

Hospice Volunteers help and support neighbors and their families who are living with life-threatening illnesses throughout Windham County. Help may range from errands and gardening to emotional and physical support.

Guess What? CBD Actually Works

by Lise | Health
CBD salve

You’ve probably heard of CBD by now if you’re not already using it. It’s that new hemp product containing non-psychoactive the cannabinoid Cannabidiol that people are taking for inflammation and stress. As a recent convert myself, I thought I’d offer my experience treating long-term chronic neck and shoulder pain with CBD Oil. The short version is simply this: it works.

When I say chronic, I mean that the pain in my neck (I know) has been there since at least 2005 when I started doing yoga in an effort to relieve it. That didn’t work, and neither did stretching, deep relaxation, or massage. I wasn’t able to stop doing the thing that was causing the problem because it’s a constant and necessary part of my job. I’m referring to mousing, which is how I make the cursor move around. Typing is no problem but mousing is killer. I now use a trackball but even that hasn’t put a dent in the problem.

MamaSezz Hosting Free Plant-Based Beginners Class in Brattleboro 4/27

by Not Signed In | Health

If you ask Lisa Lorimer and Meg Donahue, eating a healthy plant-based diet should be easy. But that’s not often the case. There’s a lot of information and misinformation out there. On top of that, eating healthy seems time consuming to the beginner. It can feel like you have to spend your entire day meal prepping.

All of this led Lorimer and Donahue to start MamaSezz, the Brattleboro-based plant-based meal delivery company in 2016.  They deliver nutritious and fully cooked plant-based meals to their customers nationwide and now they’re offering free plant-based classes for anyone interested in reaping the benefits of plant-based eating but needs help getting started.

Discovering Hypnosis in Brattleboro

by HealthyChange | Health

Hypnosis, a good remedy for many of life’s difficulties, is now easily available in Brattleboro. But, what is hypnosis anyway? It is a state of deep relaxation where your subconscious mind is open to positive suggestion. The hypnotic state is a natural state – one that we are all familiar with. It’s the state between being awake and sleeping, feels a lot like dreaming, and is a state of deep relaxation. It’s like the cozy, peaceful feeling you have just before falling asleep. Actually, it’s a very heightened state, in spite of the fact that you feel relaxed. You are much more aware of your surroundings and any noises or distractions, but you will be blissfully unconcerned because you are so relaxed.