ON THE CALENDAR – January 2018

Grandparents-to-be Class

Jan. 7: Are you eagerly awaiting the birth of your first grandchild? Or maybe even your second or third? Baystate Medical Center is offering a class for grandparents-to-be from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Lundy Boardroom located in the Wesson Women & Infants Unit at the hospital on 759 Chestnut St. in Springfield.

The class, designed for first-time grandparents or as a refresher for others, will offer information about current labor and delivery, infant feeding, and safety practices. There will also be a discussion on the role of grandparents and a tour of the birthing center.

The cost is $25 per couple. For additional information, call the Parent Education Office at (413) 794-5515, or visit www.baystatehealth.org/parented.

 

Training Program for Hospice Volunteers

Starting Jan. 10: Interested in making a difference in someone’s life while doing something deeply rewarding? Become a hospice volunteer. Cooley Dickinson Health Care will deliver a comprehensive, four-session training program on Jan. 10, 25, and 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Jan. 17 from 1 to 5:30 p.m.

No experience is necessary, and 18 hours of training will be provided. People who are interested in becoming hospice volunteers should be good listeners and be able to exhibit flexibility, caring, and compassion. Volunteers must be 18 years old and older, have their own transportation, agree to a CORI check and health screening, and be able to volunteer between one and four hours per week.

Ways to volunteer include patient companionship, family and caregiver support, complimentary therapies (Reiki, massage, music, pet therapy), bereavement support, and administrative help. For more information and to request an application, contact Carol Devine, hospice coordinator, at (413) 582-5354 or cdevine4@cooleydickinson.org.

 

End-of-Life Planning Workshops

Jan. 11, Feb. 8: Kimball Farms Life Care in Lenox will host two workshops on end-of-life planning. Those wishing to attend are asked to register by calling (413) 637-7043. The events are free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

The first workshop, “Getting Your Affairs in Order,” will be presented Thursday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. at HospiceCare in the Berkshires. June Green will discuss the details of establishing a healthcare proxy, the MOLST form, living wills, and other considerations.

Hospice Chaplain Rich Hayes will present “What I’ve Learned from My Conversations with Those Who Are Dying” on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. at Kimball Farms.

 

Pet CPR, First Aid Course

Jan. 14, 21: Many people remember learning CPR and basic first aid in health class, but have you thought about taking a course which covers this topic as it relates to your pet? Jim Helems of Pet Tech has made it easier for pet owners to understand first aid with his PetSaver Training class. He travels throughout the Pioneer Valley offering this training, and next month he will offer this course at the Good Dog Spot.

Pet Tech’s trainings have helped save the lives of thousands of pets. Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of the one-day course. The cost is $120 and will take place at the Chicopee location (35 C Chicopee St.) on Sunday, Jan. 14 and at the Northampton location (139 King St.) on Sunday, Jan. 21. Interested participants can register by visiting www.gooddogspot.net.

 

Sterile Processing Technician Course at STCC

Jan. 22 to May 9: Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will bring back a course this spring that puts students on the path to a career as a sterile processing technician. The course will be taught Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Sterile Processing Technician course teaches students vital infection-control techniques to keep hospitals and other medical facilities, as well as surgical instruments, safe and free from the spread of diseases, said Christopher Scott, dean of the School of Health and Patient Simulation.

It has been many years since STCC has offered the course. Subjects covered will include the latest advancements in sterilization processes and anatomy, physiology, microbiology, instrumentation, decontamination, and infection control. Instructors will demonstrate different forms of sterilization. In addition, the training will include a clinical practicum to help students get actual experience in the field.

The six-credit course will prepare students to sit for the SPD Technician Certification Exam and can assist students in getting qualifications to work in a hospital, clinic, or other type of medical center. For more information about the course, e-mail the School of Health & Patient Simulation at shps@stcc.edu or call (413) 755-7477.

 

‘Look Good … Feel Better’ Program

Jan. 25: The Baystate Regional Cancer Program at Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center and the American Cancer Society will sponsor “Look Good … Feel Better,” a free program for area women, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The program teaches beauty techniques to women who are undergoing cancer treatment. The session offers participants support, information, and an enjoyable first step toward renewed self-esteem, self-confidence, and emotional recovery for cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy.

Deb Rozzen, volunteer cosmetologist with the “Look Good … Feel Better” program, will be on hand for the program to work with each woman to help them learn how to enhance their appearance using makeup techniques. Wig care, scarf and hat use, skin care, and nail care will all be discussed, and all participants will receive a free makeup kit.

Sessions are limited to 12 people and are open to any woman undergoing cancer treatment in the area, and will be held at the hospital in Ware. Pre-registration by Jan. 18 is required by calling Camille St. Onge, oncology social worker at Baystate Mary Lane, at (413) 967-2245.

 

EMT Training Program

Jan. 30 to April 28: Holyoke Community College is now enrolling students for its spring-term Emergency Medical Technician training program.

The HCC EMT Training Program begins Jan. 30 and runs through April 28. The program consists of 170-plus hours of in-class lectures and additional online study, training, field trips, and workshops that prepare students to take the state certification exam. The majority of the training takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays fom 6 to 10 p.m. at HCC’s new, state-of-the-art Center for Health Education, home to the college’s Nursing and Radiologic Technology programs.

The program makes use of the medical simulation labs in HCC’s Center for Health Education, including a patient simulator specifically designed for EMT and paramedic training that hemorrages and can be hooked up to a defibrillator.

The course is taught by instructor Mike Marafuga, an EMT with the Southwick Fire Department. For more information or to register, contact Ken White at (413) 552-2324 or kwhite@hcc.edu.

 

Difference Makers

March 22: The 10th annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. The winners will be announced and profiled in the Jan. 22 issue. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region.

Tickets to the event cost $75 per person, with tables of 10 available. To order, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100 or visit www.businesswest.com. Sponsors to date include Sunshine Village and Royal, P.C. Sponsorship opportunities are still available by calling (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

 

40 Under Forty Gala

June 21: The 12th annual 40 Under Forty Gala is a celebration of 40 young business and civic leaders in Western Mass. The lavish cocktail party, to be held starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, will feature butlered hors d’oeuvres, food stations, and entertainment — and, of course, the presentation of the class of 2017. Also, the third Continued Excellence Award honoree will be announced.

Tickets will go on sale soon at $75 per person (tables of 10 available), and the event tends to sell out quickly. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail peters@businesswest.com.