When Samantha Paradis, RN, BSN, finished her degree with a double major in nursing and psychology at the University of Maine, she started her career at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. What she saw there changed her career path. “Early on I saw things being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that could have been prevented with health education and health literacy. I decided I wanted to do health care, not sick care. I felt I could make more of a difference by teaching people how to live healthier,” Samantha says.

Earlier this year, she was accepted as a Global Impact Fellow and traveled to Ghana to work for five weeks at an eye clinic, a US based non-governmental
organization, Unite for Sight. She worked teaching patients how to put their eye drops in correctly, especially the older population. She also worked as an RN at WCGH and will continue to work shifts as appropriate. She became the Belfast Public Health Nurse on February 22 of this year.

Samantha is hoping more of her time, 20 hours a week, can be devoted to looking at the socioeconomic status of those with health problems and figuring out how to prevent those issues. “I have been meeting with stakeholders to learn their roles in the community and to see how they see my role evolving,” says Samantha.

Samantha, who comes from the Fort Kent area, is also working on her Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of New England.

Waldo County Dental Care has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Maine Women’s Fund: “To help vulnerable Waldo County women improve their health, wellness and economic security by providing timely dental care, oral health education and referrals for community support services.”

The dental clinic has been providing dental care to low income residents since 2013. More than 50% of the patients treated last year had not been to a dentist in five years or more. In 2015, 177 women visited the hospital’s emergency department for dental pain. The emergency department is able to provide short-term relief but in most cases the pain and infection returned. Tooth decay and infection have long lasting impacts on health, self-esteem and employability and
untreated can lead to more serious health problems, including premature births and chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Currently, there is a five-month waiting list for new patients at the clinic. Even with an expansion in the clinic last December, the need far exceeds the capacity, so a priority list was established. The four priority criteria are:

•  Have a co-occurring medical condition that is compromised by dental infection, such as diabetes

•  Be pregnant. Maine is one of only 10 states that does not provide dental care to pregnant women through Medicaid. Tooth decay and gum disease during pregnancy are linked to low birth-weight babies and pre-term birth

• Be a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. Many of these women have never had access to dental care and have damaged or knocked out teeth

•  Need dental care to secure or improve employment, including those transitioning off Temporary Aid for Needy Families.

Beginning in June 2016, the clinic will serve as a clinical work site for fourth-year dental students from the College of Denistry at the University of New England allowing 16 additional appointments each week. These expanded slots will be set aside for emergency and priority care appointments.

Mark your calendar for Thursday, August 4, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the home of George and Marcia Smith, 18 Bayside Drive, Belfast (the former Anne Crosby Johnson manor). The Waldo County General Hospital Aid will be holding its Summer Tea with an added twist, a Retro Style Show. Aid members will model clothing and accessories from local resell shops that will be available for purchase at reasonable prices. Interested in being a model, call Sandy
Gordon at 930-6739.

Congratulations to our winners in The Republican Journal’s Best of the Best competition. They include:
•  Home Care Provider: first place, Waldo County Home Health and Hospice (now MaineHealth Care at Home)
•  Medical Office/Health Facility: Lincolnville Health Center, first, Stockton Springs Regional Health Center, second and WCGH, third

•  Physical Therapy: Waldo County General Hospital, first
•  Retirement Community: Penobscot Shores, first

Bag Ali Sale
Handbag and accessories sale to benefit Waldo County General Hospital Aid. Includes leather and fashion handbags, briefcases, totes, wallets, evening bags, scarves and backpacks. Major credit cards accepted. Open to the public.
Thursday, June 9
9:30 am to 4:00 p.m.
& Friday, June 10
7:00 am to 3:00 p.m.
Waldo County General Hospital Classroom, 118 Northport Ave.,
Belfast

Registration required for all events, please visit http://journeytohealth.coursestorm.com or call 921-3950

Waltz for Beginners
Do you remember Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or are you a fan of Dancing with the Stars? Now you can learn this beautiful dance that has been popular for centuries yourself. Join our 4-week beginner waltz series and learn how to glide across the dance floor like a star. Individuals and couples welcome.
Tuesdays, June 7, 14, 21 & 28
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Registration fee: $20/individuals or $30/couples.
East Belfast School
14 Swan Lake Ave., Belfast

Be Tobacco Free
with Hypnotherapy
This three session group smoking cessation program utilizing hypnotherapy can assist you in taking charge of your health, your life, and becoming a non-smoker.  In this program, you will explore and identify what personal need is satisfied by smoking, both physical and mental; learn how to overcome triggers for smoking and increase your confidence in your new tobacco free life.
Wednesdays, June 8, 15 & 22
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Registration fee is $50 for three sessions.
Waldo County General Hospital Classroom, 118 Northport Ave.,
Belfast

 
Martial Arts-Inspired Fitness
Are you bored with your current fitness routine and looking for something new and fun to help you stay fit?  If so, join Master Randy Gelo for this 4-week beginner class that will utilize martial arts movements that will increase your strength, flexibility and energy level. No martial arts experience is necessary.
Wednesdays, June 8, 15, 22 & 29
5:30 – 6:45 p.m.
Registration fee is $25 for four
sessions.
Troy Howard Middle School
173 Lincolnville Ave., Belfast

Stress Reduction
with Acupressure
Acupressure is a simple and effective way to alleviate stress and enhance well-being. It stems from a long tradition of Chinese medicine that uses pressure points to stimulate the body to heal itself. This class will introduce the principles behind acupressure and provide basic training on how to use acupressure for yourself.
Wednesdays, June 8 & 15
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Free
Picker Family Resource Center 756 Commercial St., Rockport

 
Journey to Health Walking Club
Looking for a group activity for that extra support to get up and go? Join Community Health & Wellness staff for weekly walks around Knox and Waldo counties. Walks are scheduled Thursdays in Waldo County, weather permitting. Walk with us as often as you can. All are welcome. Free and no registration is required.
•   Thursday, June 9
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Sears Island, Starting at the
Sears Island Road parking
lot, Searsport
•   Thursday, June 16
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Belfast Rail Trail, Starting at
501 High St., Belfast
•   Thursday, June 23
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Hospital to Harbor Walk
Starting at 118 Northport Ave.,
Belfast
•   Thursday, June 30
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Little River Trail, Starting at
Walsh Field, Lincolnville Ave.,
Belfast

Walking Meditation
Bringing mindfulness into our natural activities can be immensely relaxing. Join health & wellness coach Barbara Crowley to practice taming the wandering mind while walking.
Wednesday, June 22
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Picker Family Resource Center
756 Commercial St., Rockport

Representing the Peri-Operative department with their 148 jars of
peanut butter and jelly plus a $100 donation are from left, Janet Quint, Clae Seekins, Brittany Shute, Megan Harvey and Danielle Millay.
In front is John Eastham.

A new record of 12,645 jars of peanut butter and jelly were collected during Bangor Savings Bank’s 2016 Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive. More than 1,200 of those jars came from Waldo County General Hospital employees.

“We have a lot of people and organizations to thank for donating this year but there’s no way we could have been this successful without the employees of Waldo County General Hospital.  Your contribution of more than 1200 jars turned out to be about 10% of all the PB&J we collected throughout the entire state of Maine. We appreciate your hard work and are proud to be partnered with such a great company,” said Chris Lobley, vice president and manager of the Belfast branch.

Peri-Operative won the competition for having the most donations, earning a pizza party. Close behind was the combination of the pharmacy and oncology departments.

The second week of May 2016 is one Carrie Ponte, RN will never forget. First, she completed her Master’s Degree, putting her on her way to becoming a Nurse Practitioner and then she received the coveted Daisy Award six days later.

The family that nominated Carrie wrote, “We live in Queensbury, NY. We brought our son in the ER with a broken ankle. Carrie was exceptional to our son, making him comfortable and also getting us a room at a local hotel, providing us with directions and getting us a corporate rate. She was wonderful and so very helpful, kind, compassionate, and competent at her job.”

Daisy Award nominations are accepted from patients and their families, staff and physicians. The winner is selected by the Patient and Family Advisory Council.

The Daisy Award recognizes the extraordinary work nurses do for patients and their families every day.
Congratulations to all our nominees: Lindsay Miles Garton, RN, Kristen Jacobson, RN, Carol Knight, LPN, Denise Lindahl, RN, Linda Marsh, RN, Robin Parker, RN and Abigail Sears, RN.

Back by popular demand: Best Café Breakfast Bar. Daily from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. you can visit the café for a variety of yogurts, granola, steel cut oatmeal, nuts, fruit, toppings and cottage cheese. All available at the salad bar.

Registration required for all events, please visit
http://journeytohealth.coursestorm.com or call 921-3950

Journey to Health Walking Club

Looking for a group activity for that extra support to get up and go? Join Community Health & Wellness staff for weekly walks around Knox and Waldo counties. July walks are scheduled on Tuesdays in Knox County and Thursdays in Waldo County, weather permitting. All are welcome. Free and no registration is required.

•  Thursday, July 7
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Belfast Harbor Walk, starting at the bottom of Main Street,
Belfast

•  Tuesday, July 12
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Wellness Trail at Pen Bay
Medical Center, starting
outside Pen Bay Urology,
Rockport

•  Thursday, July 21
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Little River Trail, starting Walsh
Field, Lincolnville Ave., Belfast

•  Tuesday, July 26
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Wellness Trail at Pen Bay
Medical Center, starting
outside Pen Bay Urology,
Rockport

      Quiet your mind
with walking meditation

Bringing mindfulness into our natural activities can be extremely relaxing.  Join Health & Wellness Coach Barbara Crowley to practice taming the wandering mind while walking.
Monday, July 11
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Free
Belfast Free Library
106 High Street, Belfast

      Learn to make
delicious summer sides

Celebrate summer with fresh, easy and satisfying side dishes that bring a healthy pop of color to your table.
Wednesday, July 20
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Registration Fee: $10
Waldo County YMCA
157 Lincolnville Ave., Belfast

Quench your thirst

Are you looking to impress your friends during this picnic season with a healthy, cool, refreshing drink? Learn a few new recipes that will quench your thirst and keep your taste buds happy.
Monday, July 25
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Registration fee: $5
Waldo County General Hospital
Classroom, 118 Northport Ave.,
Belfast

Tom Woitowitz

Wanted: An adult member of our community who is willing to listen to teenagers whenever they need to talk and is willing to share their home phone number in case the teens are ever in crisis. Confidentiality is a must and the individual must be willing to actively respond as needed.

 
Tim Woitowitz is retiring from the group he formed, “Making Change,” which held meetings at the hospital. Making Change has been a safe place where young people could go to talk about what they were dealing with. Tim says it’s about friendship and helping kids who are in danger of falling through the cracks, especially those with substance abuse issues. Those who encounter young people when they are in crisis say the end of Making Change is going to leave a big gap for the at-risk community. They are hoping that someone will respond to meet the community’s need.

The Hospital Aid will hold its Summer Tea & Retro Style Show on Thursday, August 4, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the home of George & Marcia Smith, 18 Bayside Drive, Belfast.
Lemonade, iced tea and light refreshments will be served. There will be a fun fashion show of low-cost outfits and accessories available for purchase.
Donations to the Aid will be accepted.

Barb and Mark Biscone, CEO of Waldo County General Hospital, hosted a “Mad Hatter Tea Party” for members of the Hospital Aid at their Lincolnville home June 15. Mark thanked Aid members, past and present, for their donations of time and money after the past 115 years.

“For those who don’t know, the Hospital Aid was formed January 1901 by Mrs. Charles Pilsbury with just six members; they immediately started raising money to create our hospital. If we just look at the last 38 years, the hours given would exceed 225,000 and the money donated would exceed three-quarters of a million. Together it’s several millions worth of support to Waldo County General Hospital. As you know, it takes a team to accomplish all the important goals.  Personally, I have truly been blessed to have had the support of the Aid and have enjoyed working with all of you over these past decades especially at the Silver Teas. Thank you for all your support.”

Ida Jean Tyer and Ed Lord

During the annual meeting, Sandy Gordon, the staff liaison to the Aid, told two short stories about receiving praise for Aid members.

A doctor recently called Sandy to commend Ed Lord for his quick actions when a woman looked like she was going to give birth in the parking lot. He took her by wheelchair in the birthing center, where she gave birth to a healthy baby girl less than a half hour later.

Aid member Ida Jean Tyer got up from behind the cashier’s desk and gave the woman a hug. The woman stopped crying, thanked Ida Jean and said this was the first Mother’s Day since her mother had passed.
Sandy noted that those were only two examples, adding “All of you deserve a heartfelt thank you for your service.”

Mary Ann Ordelt, RN at WCGH, is the only
certified SAFE nurse in the three counties.

Waldo County General Hospital (WCGH), Pen Bay Medical Center and LincolnHealth are working together to develop a regionalized Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) program.

 
The program will provide sexual assault victims access to SAFE nurses for evidentiary collection and medical care, 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

 
The $45,000 grant from the Bingham Program will help support the operational costs of the program. Each hospital will also commit in-kind and cash resources to support the planning, colleague training and evaluation costs to design and launch this new program.

 
Presently, there is only one certified SAFE nurse availble in the three counties.

 
We are confident that this collaborative care delivery model will allow the hospitals to meet the needs of our communities.

Registration required for all events, please visit http://journeytohealth.coursestorm.com or call 921-3950

Waltz for Beginners
Do you remember Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or are you a fan of Dancing with the Stars? Now you can learn this beautiful dance that has been popular for centuries yourself. Join our 4-week beginner waltz series and learn how to glide across the dance floor like a star. Individuals and couples welcome.
Tuesdays, June 7, 14, 21 & 28
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Registration fee: $20/individuals or $30/couples.
East Belfast School
14 Swan Lake Ave., Belfast

Be Tobacco Free
with Hypnotherapy
This three session group smoking cessation program utilizing hypnotherapy can assist you in taking charge of your health, your life, and becoming a non-smoker.  In this program, you will explore and identify what personal need is satisfied by smoking, both physical and mental; learn how to overcome triggers for smoking and increase your confidence in your new tobacco free life.
Wednesdays, June 8, 15 & 22
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Registration fee is $50 for three sessions.
Waldo County General Hospital Classroom, 118 Northport Ave.,
Belfast

 
Martial Arts-Inspired Fitness
Are you bored with your current fitness routine and looking for something new and fun to help you stay fit?  If so, join Master Randy Gelo for this 4-week beginner class that will utilize martial arts movements that will increase your strength, flexibility and energy level. No martial arts experience is necessary.
Wednesdays, June 8, 15, 22 & 29
5:30 – 6:45 p.m.
Registration fee is $25 for four
sessions.
Troy Howard Middle School
173 Lincolnville Ave., Belfast

Stress Reduction
with Acupressure
Acupressure is a simple and effective way to alleviate stress and enhance well-being. It stems from a long tradition of Chinese medicine that uses pressure points to stimulate the body to heal itself. This class will introduce the principles behind acupressure and provide basic training on how to use acupressure for yourself.
Wednesdays, June 8 & 15
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Free
Picker Family Resource Center 756 Commercial St., Rockport

 
Journey to Health Walking Club
Looking for a group activity for that extra support to get up and go? Join Community Health & Wellness staff for weekly walks around Knox and Waldo counties. Walks are scheduled Thursdays in Waldo County, weather permitting. Walk with us as often as you can. All are welcome. Free and no registration is required.
•   Thursday, June 9
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Sears Island, Starting at the
Sears Island Road parking
lot, Searsport
•   Thursday, June 16
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Belfast Rail Trail, Starting at
501 High St., Belfast
•   Thursday, June 23
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Hospital to Harbor Walk
Starting at 118 Northport Ave.,
Belfast
•   Thursday, June 30
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Little River Trail, Starting at
Walsh Field, Lincolnville Ave.,
Belfast

Walking Meditation
Bringing mindfulness into our natural activities can be immensely relaxing. Join health & wellness coach Barbara Crowley to practice taming the wandering mind while walking.
Wednesday, June 22
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Picker Family Resource Center
756 Commercial St., Rockport

The annual Fall Baby Fair with new and used items for infants and children for sale will be held on Saturday, September 24, from 8:30 am to 11:00 am at the Troy Howard Middle School, 173 Lincolnville Ave., Belfast.

This is a great opportunity to clean out your closets and sell baby and children’s items no longer needed in your home. Items can include clothes, up to size 12, toys, books, furniture, etc. No recalled furniture, or car seats that have an expired use date, can be sold.

Crafts people who make baby items may also want to join the fair.

Tables for exhibitors are available to rent at $25 each. The fee is non-refundable and must be paid prior to the fair to guarantee a spot. Proceeds from table rental fees benefit the Belfast Public Health Nursing Association, but all other profit is yours to keep.

Set-up will be from 7:00 am until the fair starts, and clean-up will be immediately following the event. There is an admission fee of $1 for adults.

To book a table or for more information, call Lois Dutch of Waldo County General Hospital’s Education Department at 930-6713.