Activate Allen County wins health initiative
TOLEDO — Activate Allen County/Lima Family YMCA has won the 2015 Healthcare Heroes Collaborative Community Health Improvement Initiative Award.
On June 30, Healthcare Heroes held its seventh-annual Healthcare Heroes Recognition Ceremony at the Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion. Starting in 2008, the goal of the Healthcare Heroes award has been to recognize individuals who are making differences in healthcare in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. A collaborative category was added this year.
Activate Allen County won due to the outcomes of the work they have done and the programs they have started, according to a news release.
Activate Allen County/Lima Family YMCA is made up of community leaders from many different fields including health care, social service, education, business, government agencies and more. Its mission is to fight smoking and obesity and emphasize healthy eating, active living, tobacco-free lifestyles and to provide high-impact clinical quality services.
Bridge Home Health & Hospice to offer training courses
REGION — Bridge Home Health & Hospice, a nonprofit organization providing health care and hospice services, will offer training courses for prospective volunteers in Findlay and Bluffton.
The Bluffton training course will begin July 14 in the second floor conference room of Bluffton Hospital, 139 Garau St., Bluffton. The course will run for six consecutive Tuesdays from 1-2:30 p.m.
The Findlay training course will begin July 16 in the HUB conference room at Birchaven Village, 15100 Birchaven Lane, Findlay. The course will take place for six consecutive Thursdays from 6-8:30 p.m.
Courses will cover the basic principles of hospice, understanding the needs of patients and their families, effective communication, patient care, pain and symptom management, spiritual care giving and understanding grief and loss.
No previous hospice experience is necessary. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.
Pre-registration is required. Contact Julie Tiell, Bridge Hospice volunteer services coordinator, by phone at 419-423-5351 or by email at [email protected].
St. Rita’s to start Volunteer Veteran Program
LIMA — On Monday, St. Rita’s Volunteer/Auxiliary will begin its new Volunteer Veteran Program in an effort to recognize all veterans who enter St. Rita’s Medical Center as a patient. This program matches St. Rita’s veteran volunteers with veteran patients. At least one veteran volunteer will be working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily to ensure every veteran patient can experience the program.
When veterans come to St. Rita’s for care, they will be greeted by a St. Rita’s volunteer who is also a veteran. The volunteer will introduce themselves to the veteran and present them with a number of materials including information regarding state veteran benefits, federal veteran benefits, the Allen County Veterans Service Commission, Veterans History Project, Honor Flight applications and more. Additionally, volunteers will present veteran patients with a small American flag along with a base to display it in, and a magnet will be placed on the patient’s door indicating their veteran status along with the military branch they served.
According to Mark Miller, director of volunteer services at St. Rita’s Health Partners, “The goal of this program is to recognize and honor our patients who have served our country. We are caring for at least five new veteran patients each day at St. Rita’s, so a program like this is absolutely needed in our hospital.”
For more information, contact Katee Johnson, communications coordinator at St. Rita’s Health Partners, by phone at 419-226-9802, or by email at [email protected].
Blanchard Valley Hospital constructing sleep wellness center
FINDLAY — Blanchard Valley Hospital has announced the construction of the new Daniel J. and Maria H. Sak Sleep Wellness Center, which will replace the current BVH Sleep Disorders Center on 1909 S. Main St. Construction of the new center is currently underway, with completion estimated for December.
The new center will offer more than 3,800 square feet of sleep lab and office space, four bedrooms with adjacent private bathrooms used for sleep studies, a quiet location away from traffic and residential-style construction to provide a home-like environment.
The naming of the center has been made in honor of the lead donation provided by Dr. Daniel Sak and his wife, Maria, to make the new center possible. Dr. Sak joined Blanchard Valley Health System in early 2014 and serves as the medical director of the BVH Sleep Disorders Center.
Bridge Bereavement Services offering program
OTTAWA — Bridge Bereavement Services is offering area youth an opportunity to work through grief by spending time with horses. The program, called Grief Trails, allows children ages 6 to 12 years old to learn through horses about the importance of communicating emotions and needs to others.
Grief Trails will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 30 at Challenged Champions Equestrian Center, 11913 County Road 6.
Registration for Grief Trails is required by July 17. To register or for more information, call 800-982-3306 or email [email protected].
