Grace Cottage Family Health of Townshend, VT, has received Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). This certifies that Grace Cottage’s Rural Health Clinic has achieved the highest level of evidence-based, patient-centered, coordinated care.
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Grace Cottage Family Health welcomes Mental Health Counselor Eileen Arama to its team of 12 medical providers. Arama is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, offering counseling appointments for adults as well as children ages seven and up.
Trained at the Gallaudet University School of Social Work in Washington, D.C., Arama received her Masters of Social Work degree with Honors in May 2003. She has worked locally at Brattleboro’s Austine School for the Deaf, at Sunderland Elementary School, and at the Brattleboro Retreat, in addition to other positions in Vermont, Connecticut, and Israel.
Read More...By Elizabeth Harrison, Grace Cottage Health Coach
as originally appeared in the Brattleboro Reformer’s Graceful Health column, April 7, 2017
You probably know already that too much stress can make you sick. Chronic stress puts a tremendous load on our bodies, increasing our risk of getting a whole host of diseases, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and digestive troubles, to name a few.
And no doubt, you have direct experience with stress. We all lead busy lives, and it can be challenging to take time for self-care. It’s important, though, and I would like to offer a few simple stress reduction techniques that can make a huge difference. None of these are time-consuming or costly, and they don’t require any special equipment.
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By Deborah Brown, Grace Cottage Family Health Diabetes Educator
as originally appeared in the Brattleboro Reformer’s Graceful Health column, March 24, 2017
Do you have diabetes? If you said no, how do you know?
As many as 8 million Americans have this disease without knowing it. And even without obvious symptoms, undiagnosed diabetes can still be ruining your health.
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. Heart disease and stroke are two-to-four times more common in those with diabetes. It is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults, and of end-stage kidney disease. More than half of the amputations of feet and legs are due to diabetes; 60-70 percent of those with diabetes have some nerve damage; and diabetes contributes to serious infections and gum disease.
Diabetes is caused by the body’s inability to produce or use insulin—the hormone that helps move glucose inside the cells to provide energy.
Read More...Grace Cottage Hospital Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Louise McDevitt is the author of a new book for clinical practitioners.
Orthopedic Physical Assessment, published by Fitzgerald Health Education Associates and co-authored by McDevitt and FNP Monica Tombasco, is a reference guide to help medical students and seasoned clinicians alike with orthopedic diagnosis and treatment.
The guide is a spiral-bound book in cue-card format, making it easy to find information quickly. It provides a comprehensive compendium, with diagrams, glossary, and references for further information.
Chiropractor Michele Doucette now offers appointments at Grace Cottage on Tuesday mornings.
Dr. Doucette also practices chiropractic medicine at her office in Wilmington three days a week. By adding appointments in Townshend, her goal is to provide easier access for some people.
“I see patients from all over southern Vermont, and some of them travel quite far for the combination of services I offer. I’m happy for this opportunity to offer a new location to existing patients and to see new patients as well,” she said. “I really appreciate Grace Cottage for their openness to provide patients with alternatives in complementary medicine and integrative care.”
Read More...By Dr. Maurice Geurts, Grace Cottage Family Health
February is the month of Valentine’s Day, when we focus on emotions of the heart. February is also American Heart Month, a time when we are encouraged to consider the mechanics of this important organ.
Fortunately, most of the time, our hearts do their work silently and reliably, without any effort on our part. We shouldn’t take them for granted, though. Our hearts do need our attention, as certain lifestyle behaviors do often lead to malfunction.
The most common disease of the heart is the one over which we have the most control.
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Want to get started running, but not sure how to do it safely? The Grace Cottage “Couch to 5K” group is designed for you!
Grace Cottage Family Health and Hospital is hosting the “Spring Into Health 5K” in Townshend, VT, on Saturday, May 13. Grace Cottage Nurse Practitioner Jorda Daigneault will be leading a “Couch to 5K” (C25K) preparation-support group for eight weeks in March, April, and May.
Read More...By Jorda Daigneault, Grace Cottage Family Health Nurse Practitioner
Think you can’t run a 5K? You’re not alone. And yet, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.
Take, for example, this story from the home page of the “Couch to 5K” website:
“With the help of the Couch to 5K program, in less than seven months, I went from a 47-year-old, 104kg, 30 cigarettes a day sort of guy, to an 82kg, 0 cigarettes, running 45 to 50 kilometers a week sort of guy. Ten months after finishing C25K I completed my first marathon. Since then I have run another 5 marathons, as well as 9 ultra-marathons including three over 100km.”
Maybe you think this is all hype, some marketer’s made-up story to sell the program. I know otherwise—because I’m a success story too.
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Enjoy a morning of good, healthy fun in the great outdoors at the 8th Annual Grace Cottage Hospital “Spring into Health” 5K this Mother’s Day Weekend, on Saturday, May 13th. The family-friendly 5K starts at 8:30 am on the Townshend Common. The race will be timed for competitors, but is open to all, whether you run, walk, roll, or stroll. The course is 3.1 miles of mainly flat, paved road along Grafton Road (Route 35).
After the race, there will be awards, raffles, and general merriment. There is also a free Fun Run for kids 8 and under on the Common at 9:15. The event, held rain or shine, wraps up around 10:30.
Register online for an early bird rate of $12/adults, $5/kids at www.gracecottage.org/events.
Read More...Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital
185 Grafton Road (Route 35)
PO Box 216
Townshend, Vermont 05353
Email: info@gracecottage.org
(Non-medical inquiries only.)
To get a message to a medical provider, use the confidential patient portal or call the number below.
Main Phone Number: 802-365-7357
Family Health Clinic Number: 802-365-4331
View a complete list of departmental numbers.
Grace Cottage complies with applicable State and Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, place of birth, age, or physical or mental condition. (Read More)
