Page 59 - Healthcare News Sept.-Oct. 2020

HCC Joins JED Campus to Support Student Mental Health
HOLYOKE — As World Men-
tal Health Day was recognized
last week, Holyoke Community College (HCC) announced it has joined the JED Campus network in support of student well-being and mental health.
JED Campus is a nationwide initiative of the New York-based JED Foundation designed to help schools evaluate and strengthen their mental-health, substance- misuse, and suicide-prevention programs and systems to ensure that schools have the strongest
possible mental-health safety nets. HCC was also one of six schools
nationwide selected for an in- augural scholarship from the
JED Foundation to strengthen student-support programs promot- ing mental-health awareness and suicide prevention.
“This is a critical time for young people in our nation as they cope with the current pandemic, ongo- ing issues around racial equity, and the regular pressures of transi- tioning into adulthood,” said John MacPhee, executive director and
CEO of the JED Foundation. “We believe that working with high schools, colleges, and universities to invest in real-life systems that strengthen mental-health safety nets and foster a community of caring for students is more im- portant than ever. By joining JED Campus, HCC is demonstrating
a commitment to the emotional well-being of its students.”
JED campuses embark on a multi-year strategic collaboration that not only assesses and enhanc- es the work already being done,
but also helps create positive, lasting, systemic change in the campus community. JED Campus advisors work closely with these schools through a collaborative process of comprehensive systems, programs, and policy assessment with customized support to build upon each institution’s existing structures.
HCC’s JED Campus team in- cludes students, faculty, and staff. The $20,000 scholarship will re- mediate a large portion of the JED Campus fees.
Amherst Resident Launches Company Assisting Elders, Families
AMHERST — Your Age in Place Plan, a company dedicated to helping people remain in their homes as they age, recently launched in conjunction with Na- tional Aging in Place Week, an an- nual awareness-building campaign aimed at people who wish to age in place.
According to company founder Janet Bunce, “the desire to remain in one’s home has become a more
fervent goal than ever, given the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. To be successful at ag- ing in place requires a great deal of planning.”
Bunce has spent the last 15 years providing care management and consulting services to elders and their families. She’s found that, when clients take a proactive ap- proach, they become empowered to live life on their own terms.
In this new venture, she person- ally guides her clients through a thorough exploratory process via phone or videoconference. The end result is a fully customized and detailed roadmap, unique to each client’s journey of aging in place. The plan articulates what
it takes for clients to feel happy, healthy, and safe in their home of choice and informs others of their wishes and how they intend to
live their lives.
Bunce is certified as a geriatric
care manager and aging life care professional and has a certificate in gerontology. She has a passion for supporting people as they age and an understanding of the many health, financial, and social issues that affect them.
To learn more about Your Age
in Place Plan, visit www.youragein- placeplan.com.
Drive-up Flu Clinics Coming to Holyoke Community College
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Com- munity College (HCC) will serve as a host site for four drive-up flu-vaccine clinics during the next few weeks.
The clinics — slated for Tuesday, Oct. 20; Friday, Oct. 23; Tuesday, Nov. 3; and Friday, Nov. 6 — are being provided by the Holyoke
Board of Health and CVS Phar- macy and are open to the general public.
All the clinics run from 8 to 11 a.m. and will be held in parking lot M next to HCC’s Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation on the main campus at 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke, the same location
where free COVID-19 testing is underway until Oct. 31.
The flu vaccines are free with most insurance, including MassHealth. Pre-registration is not required but highly recommended to ensure sufficient supply.
These are drive-up clinics, so there is no need to exit the vehicle.
Free face masks will also be distrib- uted on site.
Appointments can be scheduled for 20-minute time slots by follow- ing the links on the HCC website to the CVS Pharmacy registration pages for each day: hcc.edu/flu.
Benchmark Wins Award for Connection with Memory-care Residents
WALTHAM — Benchmark, a leading provider of senior-living services in the Northeast, an- nounced it has received a Best
of the Best award for its innova- tive Connect First program from Argentum, the national senior- living association. This mind and memory program teaches associ- ates how to discern what their memory-care residents are trying to communicate and effective response techniques.
“Dementia caregivers must view behavior as being a form of communication that is altered
or compromised because of how the disease affects the brain,” said Michelle Tristani, Benchmark’s corporate director of Memory Care. “Decoding behavior and responding in a way that results in the best outcome is at the heart of Connect First. In a short time, we’ve found it to be an effective, non-pharmacological approach to caring for the more than 1,800 residents at our 57 memory-care communities.”
Understanding the behavior of someone with compromised mem- ory or brain function is often one
of the most challenging aspects of caring for them. This disconnect often leads to miscommunication, fear, and anxiety, especially as the disease progresses.
Connect First works to evoke positive emotions amid dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other brain disor- ders by improving communication and establishing or maintain-
ing strong human connections. Benchmark’s memory-care associ- ates are trained in critical think- ing, individualized approaches to meeting their charges’ needs, and powerful communication tech-
niques. Resident behavioral data is also formally collected for ongoing assessment and effectiveness.
“Fostering trust and strong re- lationships between our memory- care residents and those who care for them is critically important in ensuring the best quality of life for our residents,” said Tom Grape, Benchmark’s founder and CEO.
“I am so proud of our memory- care teams and what they have accomplished and what they will continue to do for our residents and their families.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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