Preventative Care for Diabetes Presentation at the Concord Senior Center

At the invitation of SCENe, the Springville Concord Elder Network, Kathleen Hebdon, RN, BSN, CDE presented a talk on preventative care in diabetes to a group at the Concord Senior Center on Friday, April 20.

The attendees had answers to their specific questions about diabetes risks, management and preventative actions they can take to reduce the risk of diabetes complications.

This presentation was part of SCENe’s University Express series, which continues through the summer. SCENe is part of the Healthy Community Alliance, a nonprofit rural health network based in Gowanda and serving residents in parts of Chautauqua, Erie, Cattaraugus and Wyoming Counties.

The Price is Right for Lab Week


National Medical Laboratory Technologist Week started off with enthusiasm and fun as the lab put together a facility-wide “Price is Right” challenge for employees.

This started a week of celebrations and activities to draw attention to the important role of the lab at the hospital for our patients, medical staff, nursing team and employees.

#teamchaffee

Thank you, St. Al’s!

Mrs. Stahl’s class delivered a set of original, handmade gifts to Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in April. Braving snowy sidewalks, the class made a visit to the Emergency Department with a supply of coloring books to give to the hospital’s youngest patients and visitors.

Thank you, students!

Live What You Love: Mary Lou Wright Retires after Four Decades at BCH

Mary Lou Wright has a quote above her computer that states, “Live What You Love.” For all but a few months of her entire professional career, Wright has been part of the fabric of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and its Physical Therapy Department, doing exactly that: living what she loves. That career includes a time period that has extended for more than half the hospital’s history.

Starting in June 1975, Wright applied her bachelor of science degree in physical therapy from the University at Buffalo to part-time roles at Fiddler’s Green Manor and Bertrand Chaffee Hospital. “Within a year, BCH asked me to come here full time,” said Wright. Three years later her supervisor relocated to Florida, and she was offered the director of rehab position.

In her first years at BCH, most patients were seen on an outpatient basis. “Back then, therapists were not allowed to evaluate patients,” Wright offered. “We would get a prescription from the physician basically telling us what to do.”

She continued, “As the profession grew, physical therapists became recognized as an integral part of the patient care team. We now perform in-depth evaluations to determine a diagnosis, individual plan of care, and prognosis.”

When asked about how physical therapy has changed across five decades, Wright explained, “So much of the basics of PT have always been the same – heat and cold, massage, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, exercise – those things have not changed.”

She offered this explanation, “But now, the field has expanded to a more hands-on approach, such as manual techniques, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization. There are new advances in aquatic therapy, vestibular rehab, orthotic and prosthetic devices, and even robotic technology…Patients can also have direct access to PT without a prescription, but with some limitations attached.”

It is the responsibility of the physical therapist to determine the best plan of care for each individual. “In a way, we’re like mechanics,” said Wright. “We help with the fine tuning and getting patients to run – or walk and function – better. It’s all about quality of life.”

Wright initially wanted to be a teacher, but when she was entering college in the 1970s, the market for educators was flooded. But for the past 43 years, she has served as a teacher in a different way, working with thousands of patients on their road to recovery from injuries, surgeries and chronic conditions.

“I have always felt I became what I was meant to be, and have loved what I do,” Wright remarked. “I can only hope that I have had some positive impact on the lives of those we call our patients, many of whom I am now lucky to call friends. It is the lives we touch and the relationships we develop that make healthcare such a unique field. I will miss that the most.”

 

Garden Party to Support Acute Care Nurses’ Station

Annual BCH Foundation Event to Honor William King and the Cordelian Club

The Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Foundation’s annual Garden Party is planned for Thursday, May 31 at the Springville Country Club. The foundation’s board is pleased to announce that the event will celebrate William King and the Cordelian Club for their many contributions to the hospital and nursing home. King is the BCH Foundation board president and a longtime board volunteer for the hospital and foundation. The Cordelian Club has supported the hospital through fundraising efforts for more than 70 years.

The foundation board will direct this year’s proceeds towards the renovation of the second floor nurses’ station.

The Garden Party starts at 5 p.m. and concludes by 8 p.m. The Springville Jazz Orchestra and Nick Kody & Lydia Herren will provide the musical entertainment.

Tickets are $50 each or $80 per couple and are available at the BCH reception desk. For information and sponsorship opportunities, call the Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Foundation at (716) 592-2871 ext. 1485 or email Kara Kane at kkane@bch-jbr.org.

 

Nuclear Medicine Camera – Cutting the Ribbon!

Friends and supporters came to Bertrand Chaffee Hospital as staff, providers, board members and elected officials helped to cut the ribbon for the nuclear medicine camera. This piece of equipment was replaced with an upgraded model in March thanks to funding from the New York State Department of Health and a grant from the Springville-Griffith Community Education Foundation.