Genesis HealthCare Honors Melissa Unrue as Compassionate Caregiver of the Year
EXETER – Genesis HealthCare, a national provider of post-acute care, announced that Melissa Unrue, a licensed practical nurse at the Exeter Center in Exeter, NH, has been selected as Compassionate Caregiver of the Year in its southern market. New Hampshire. Melissa has been part of the organization since 2021.
Modeled after the national program of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Care, Genesis HealthCare sponsors an annual recognition program that provides Genesis-affiliated centers with a meaningful way to recognize and celebrate staff members who go above and beyond the standards of compassionate care. Staff, residents and resident families are all invited to nominate a team member who demonstrates exceptional compassion.
According to her nomination, Melissa puts 110% of everything she has into her position at Exeter Center. While Unrue only started a year ago through a nurse’s aide training course, she has been an invaluable member of the team. Unrue does everything it can to ensure that its residents can achieve 100% autonomy and dignity. She is there to support them and offer them help and assistance when they need it most. She also makes sure her residents have a choice in everything, even their outfits and accessories for the day, because she knows how important that is to them. She even makes sure they have the nail polish color that suits them best that day.
“Melissa is a selfless individual who provides exceptional care to her residents and is highly respected by her colleagues. She strives to ensure the dignity of every person she meets at the center. Exeter Center is so lucky to have her on the team,” says Tina Osborn, Market President for Southern New Hampshire.
Unrue was selected as a market-level CCOY from all staff at 13 Genesis-affiliated centers in southern New Hampshire. She is now eligible for the Genesis Compassionate Caregiver of the Year award, which will be selected from among its other market-level recipients later this month. Genesis will officially nominate its company-wide CCOY recipient at the Schwartz Center to be considered for that organization’s 2023 National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year Award.
Portsmouth Regional Hospital expands cancer services with new radiation oncology suite
PORTSMOUTH – Portsmouth Regional Hospital has announced the construction of a new radiation oncology suite at its main campus, 333 Borthwick Ave., Portsmouth. The project is expected to start in November 2022.
“Adding radiation oncology to our cancer services at Portsmouth Regional Hospital will enable us to provide our cancer patients with comprehensive cancer care, from diagnosis to surgical and medical treatment options, including chemotherapy. and radiation therapy,” said Dean M. Carucci, CEO. at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “Getting a cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event, and we want to make the process of treatment and healing as seamless and convenient as possible. Radiation Oncology was the last service we needed to be able to offer our patients. the full range of high-quality cancer care, close to home on the coast.And soon we can do it.
“We are always grateful to be able to keep our patients close to home for the care they need,” said Devon Evans, MD, medical director of hematology-oncology at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “Having radiation oncology next to the hospital will help reduce the anxiety and burden of travel, which is good news for patients and their families.”
“This is such an important service for our patients,” said Lauren Thompson, MD, medical director of surgical oncology at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “Patients who receive radiotherapy are often in the hospital every day for weeks at a time. Having this service in their community, close to their support networks, is therefore a huge benefit to our patients, medically and emotionally. »
The new radiation oncology suite will be on the hospital’s main campus, 333 Borthwick Ave., Portsmouth, and will be located at the front of the building to the left of the main entrance. It will include state-of-the-art equipment to provide radiation treatment for most cancers, and will include a comfortable clinical area with a private entrance and separate designated parking for radiation patients.
Construction is expected to take 12 to 14 months, with an expected opening date of late 2023.
Wentworth-Douglass identifies mental health, addictions and primary care as community health needs
DOVER – Mental health, substance use disorders and access to primary care services are among the most pressing health needs facing the communities served by Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, according to the assessment of the hospital’s 2022 community health needs.
Wentworth-Douglass conducts a community health needs assessment every three years to determine where the hospital should focus its programs and services to improve the overall health of the individuals and families it serves.
This year’s assessment also identified six other community needs, including: access to long-term services and supports, chronic conditions, financial barriers to care, obesity and physical inactivity, oral health dentistry and the social determinants of health (basic needs and transportation).
Mental health and substance use disorders are two strongly correlated health issues that Wentworth-Douglass has focused on since a 2016 assessment.
While the hospital has made progress in these areas by investing in its own services (Integrated Behavioral Health from Wentworth Health Partners, Great Bay Mental Health, Crisis Team Clinicians and The Doorway), as well as investing in community partnerships, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued. to amplify these problems by causing fear and confusion, which increased rates of anxiety and depression in all age populations, according to the assessment.
“Wentworth-Douglass has continued to expand its behavioral health services year after year, adding additional counselors, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, care coordinators and crisis team clinicians,” said Kellie Mueller. , Assistant Vice President of Behavioral Health Services at Wentworth-Douglas. “Our future growth includes adding additional clinicians to current programs, as well as developing new programs such as an addiction recovery clinic for drug treatment.”
COVID-19, labor shortages, and population growth are some of the factors hindering community access to primary care. Wentworth-Douglass recently opened Rochester Primary Care to meet a particular need in North Strafford County and is working on new staffing strategies to improve access to primary care and expand services to meet needs. community health.
Beyond expanding access to primary care and behavioral health services, Wentworth-Douglass plans to address the needs identified in the community assessment by:
• Maintain financial assistance services and reduce barriers to care.
• Continue to operate a community dental center
• Expand the Care-Van program to provide transportation for eligible patients.
• Focus on opportunities for educational events and health screenings.
• Provide community grants to local non-profit organizations to help meet these needs.
The 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment elicited input from individuals and experts representing broad interests in the community, many of whom have specialized expertise in public health. The assessment also included data from a University of New Hampshire Community Health Assessment Survey, with more than 500 participants from the Wentworth-Douglass service area.
The 2022 Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Community Health Needs Assessment is available online at www.wdhospital.org/wdh/about-wdh/giving-back.
Cornerstone VNA becomes a mental health-friendly workplace
DOVER – Cornerstone VNA, located in Rochester, was recently designated as a safe, judgment-free “place” by the Dover Mental Health Alliance. This is the DMHA’s second mental health-friendly “workplace” designation outside of Dover, NH.
Cornerstone VNA provides home care, health and palliative care to people of all ages. Their mission is to promote the optimal level of well-being, independence and dignity of people living in the community by providing reliable, compassionate and expert health care.
Cornerstone VNA staff have received Mental Health First Aid training which teaches people how to recognize and respond to someone who may be in emotional distress. The group has also received ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) training, which delves into the neurological, psychological and physiological impact of trauma and its connection to our biggest health and social issues such as substance use, housing insecurity. and mental health.
Julie Reynolds, President and CEO said, “I am very proud of this organization and the people who work there and who go above and beyond to collaborate on important initiatives in our local communities. The Dover Mental Health Alliance does amazing work, and we’re honored to be recognized as a mental health-friendly ‘workplace’. »
“Although our community coalition is called the Dover Mental Health Alliance, we work with organizations, businesses and partners across Strafford County. Cornerstone VNA has been an amazing partner and we are thrilled that they are training their staff in Mental Health First Aid and ACEs. This not only supports the health and well-being of their customers, but also the staff,” added Suzanne Weete of DMHA.
The DMHA “Place” designation is available to any Strafford County business, organization or institution that strives to support the mental health of its employees, colleagues and customers. DMHA’s vision is to create a culture that understands, embraces and addresses the complexities of mental health. The mission is to build a resilient community that is educated, responsive and aware of the impact of mental illness.
The Dover Mental Health Alliance is part of the Strafford County non-profit community mental health center, Community Partners. For more information on Community Partners, go to www.communitypartnersnh.org. For more information about the Dover Mental Health Alliance and upcoming trainings, visit www.facebook.com/DoverMHA/, or email Suzanne Weete at suzanneweete@communitypartnersnh.org.
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