Picture This
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Paws in the Workday
Monson Savings Bank recently arranged to have a certified and trained therapy dog, Rose, visit all locations to give a little comfort, relief, support, and — of course — cuddles. Top: Rose and her owner, Tammy Warren, visit with Nicole Shea, customer service associate at the bank’s Hampden branch. Bottom: Rose makes a new friend in bank President and CEO Dan Moriarty.
Tackling Tough Issues
Springfield College doctor of physical therapy (DPT) student Xavier Gibson was selected as one of two finalists in the annual physical therapy essay contest co-sponsored by the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy Consortium for the Humanities, Ethics, and Professionalism and the Journal for Humanities in Rehabilitation. Gibson’s essay — which highlights his responsibilities and obligations as a DPT student of color, the only student of color in his cohort, to come to terms with addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in society and inequalities in healthcare — will be published in the JHR’s fall 2021 issue.
In the Bag
JGS Lifecare was selected as the nonprofit beneficiary of the Big Y Community Bag Program for the month of March at the Big Y located in Longmeadow. JGS Lifecare received a $1 donation every time the $2.50 reusable “Big Y Cares” Community Bag is purchased at this location during March. “We are thrilled to receive the support of our local Big Y and our community,” said Susan Kimball Halpern, vice president of Development and Communications at JGS Lifecare (pictured).
Delivering the Goods
Visiting Angels of West Springfield donated 200 St. Patrick’s Day goody bags — including holiday-themed treats and a little leprechaun — to staff and residents of Mont Marie Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Holyoke during its holiday party. Mont Marie offers clinical services and specialized programs for the rehabilitation of its residents. Visiting Angels is a home-healthcare service that offers senior in-home care, elderly care, and care for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Lasting Gift
Maria Hermanson, an RN who works the overnight shift in the Mercy Medical Center ICU, has been creating keepsakes for family members who lose a loved one. Patients in the ICU are placed on a heart monitor that provides a printout. Hermanson makes copies of the deceased patient’s heart-rhythm strip, cuts the paper down, and places the strips in tiny, sealed glass bottles that she gives to the patient’s close family members. Aptly named “Heartbeats in a Bottle,” she explained, “this small token allows them to keep their loved one’s heartbeat with them during the difficult days ahead. Our patients are very sick, and it’s an honor to care for them.”
