Category Archives: General News

DFD: A Proud Community Health Center

Community health centers are an important part of the healthcare system, serving rural and vulnerable neighborhoods. They are the providers of choice in medically underserved areas of the country. Maine is home to twenty community health centers with over seventy service locations statewide. DFD Russell Medical Centers is such a community health center and is honored to serve more than 8,000 patients in the communities of Leeds, Turner, and Monmouth, Maine.

 

Why Visit a CHC like DFD?

  • Community health centers are patient-focused and community-oriented
  • More services under one roof: patient visits, behavioral health, and dental care
  • CHCs are open more evening and weekend hours making care more accessible
  • Community health centers offer comprehensive, high-quality primary care to anyone regardless of health insurance or financial status
  • Supportive services such as educational, transitional, pharmacy and transportation services are also available
  • Governing boards are at least 51% community members

Did you know?

In the past two years, Maine community health centers have served:

  • 41,114 children
  • 6,632 homeless patients
  • 10,635 veterans
  • 266,664 patients for mental health and substance use disorder treatment

 

Celebrate with us!

Join DFD as we celebrate National Health Care Center week beginning on August 4, 2019. This week is dedicated to educating the public on why health care centers do what we do, how you can help, and honoring those who rely on us for top-quality care.

EventsGeneral News

Are You Tick Smart?

Ticks thrive in Maine’s wooded and unmaintained areas, such as high grass and leaf debris. They are particularly established in southern and coastal parts of the state. This year is an especially high-risk season but there’s no need to be afraid as long as you’re being tick smart.

Prevent ticks from reaching your backyard:

  • Maintain your yard by mowing grass regularly and attending to leaves, shrubs, etc.
  • Wear long-sleeved and light-colored clothing
  • Use insect repellant with at least 20% Deet
  • Have your pets vaccinated or medicated against ticks
  • Have a professional spray a perimeter pesticide

 

MYTH: Ticks die every winter.

Check yourself every day for ticks that may have hitched a ride:

  • Have a partner/parent help to check areas you can’t easily see
  • Check between toes, hands, underarms, behind the knees, around and in ears and hair
  • Shower after being outside—this helps wash off any ticks
  • Don’t re-wear outdoor clothes; tumble dry on high to kill ticks trapped in clothing

 

MYTH: Every type of tick carries disease.

If you see a tick attached to your skin, remove it immediately. It takes 36 hours for bacteria to leave the tick and be injected into your body.

  • With tweezers: pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t jerk or twist—this may cause tick material to stay in your skin.
  • With a tick spoon: apply slight downward pressure to skin and push forward under the tick’s body.
  • Do not crush the tick with your fingers! Put in alcohol or flush it down the toilet.
  • Wash your hands immediately and soak tweezers in alcohol, if needed.

 

MYTH: You’ll know if you get a tick bite.

If you were recently bitten by a tick and removal was successful, it’s still important to check your skin. If you have a rash, headaches, fever and flu-like symptoms after a tick bite, call your primary care provider right away.

AwarenessGeneral News

 “Cooking Matters for Parents” – A Class to Boost Nutrition Skills and Education

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is hosting “Cooking Matters for Parents,” a nutrition education class funded by the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. In this class, parents will learn how to cook new recipes, choose healthy foods, save money when grocery shopping, keep food safe to eat, and how to help their families to become more active. Children are welcome to attend with participating adults.

This program is federally-funded and intended to assist low-income families to meet nutritional requirements. It is free for income eligible adults and for those who are eligible for SNAP, WIC, or Head Start.

Interested in attending the Cooking Matters for Parents class? Check out the details below:

 

DATES: Mondays and Wednesdays

March 18, 20, 25, 27

April 1, 3, 8 & 10

TIME: 5:30p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Winthrop Middle School

COST: Free for income eligible adults

*Registration required

 

This class is a wonderful way to learn new skills with your family and adopt a healthier lifestyle together. To register for a spot in the class, email Debbie Barnett at deborah.barnett@maine.edu

EventsGeneral News

DFD Takes the Dempsey Challenge

DFD is excited to support our communities and encourage others to walk, run or bike in support of The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing in this year’s Dempsey Challenge.

When and Where does this happen?
The 2017 Dempsey Challenge takes place in Lewsiton-Auburn, Maine, September 29-30.

runnersWhat does it benefit?
Proceeds from the challenge go to the Dempsey Center. The Dempsey Center offers a vibrant and compassionate environment where an interdisciplinary team of oncology professionals improves the healing experience for those impacted by cancer. Through customized programs The Dempsey Center provides support services that complement treatments, support caregivers, patients and their families equally Source: Demspeycenter.org

How to get involved:
Anyone can get involved and there is an event for everyone.

Bike – 10, 25, 70, or 100 miles
Two-day 140+ mile bike ride presented by L.L. Bean
Run or walk 5K (3.1 miles) and 10K (6.2 miles)
Festival in the Park – Saturday 8 am – 1 pm, Sunday 9 am – 5 pm
Music Festival at Festival in the Park
Kid’s Fun Run and Family Ride
Survivor Walk
You can show your love for team DFD by donating your loose change at one of our coin jars at the front desk at each DFD Health Center location or to one of our team members using this link: http://support.dempseychallenge.org/site/TR?company_id=3823&fr_id=1150&pg=company

To learn more about The Dempsey Challenge please visit:

Dempsey Challenge Information

EventsGeneral News

School Safety 101

DFD’s helpful tips for a fun and safe school year.

Class is back in session and DFD is here to help get your child;s school year off to a safe and healthy start.

Your child’s backpack should:

  • Have a padded back
  • Have wide, padded shoulder straps
  • Be the right fit: below the shoulder blades and right at the waist

School Bus Rules

When getting on the bus, remind your children to:

  • Stay away from traffic when waiting for the bus
  • Line up away from the street or road as the bus approaches
  • Wait until the bus has completely stopped and the door opens before entering

While riding the bus, remind your children to:

  • Buckle up if seat belts are available
  • Stay in their seat
  • Keep aisles clear of books and bags
  • Wait for the bus to completely stop before getting up from your seat

When getting off the bus, remind your children to:

  • Use the handrail when exiting the bus
  • Make sure the driver can see them
  • Stay away from the rear wheels at all times
  • When crossing the street, wait for a signal from the bus driver

Stop bullying in its tracks.

Make sure your kids are ready for a kind and caring school year. Remind them that bullying is never ok.

  • 30% of young people admit to bullying others
  • 28% of students in grades 6-12 experience bullying
  • When bystanders intervene, bullying stops within 10 seconds
AwarenessGeneral News

National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month and DFD wants to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Vaccines help prevent dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases.

How does a vaccine work?

Vaccines are made from the same germs that cause disease, but the germs in the vaccines are either killed or weakened so they won’t make you sick. Once the vaccine is injected into your body, your immune system reacts to the vaccine by making antibodies. The antibodies destroy the vaccine germs, and then stay in your body, giving you immunity if you are ever exposed to the real disease. The antibodies are there to protect you!

Why are vaccines important?

Diseases like polio are becoming very rare in the U.S. because we have been vaccinating against them. However, vaccine-preventable diseases such as whooping cough and measles are still a threat and continue to infect U.S. children—resulting in hospitalizations and deaths each year.  The spread of dangerous diseases happen when children who aren’t vaccinated spread disease to other children who are too young to be vaccinated or to people with weakened immune systems.

Check out these new videos from the National Vaccine Program Office and learn how vaccines can keep you and the people you love stay healthy.



AwarenessGeneral News

National Health Center Week: August 12-18

This August we celebrate National Health Center Week to raise awareness of the important role health centers play in our communities.

Health centers serve 27 million patients in the United States, which is about one in fifteen people who utilize health centers as their health care home. As a Patient-Centered Medical Home, DFD meets and exceeds the healthcare needs of its patients through innovative, patient-centered primary care services.

Health centers across the United States perform just as well or better than private physicians on 94% of quality measures and save an average of $1,263 per patient per year.

DFD is the highest-ranking community health center in Maine and the nation for its commitment to quality care. But what makes DFD different from other providers?

  • More night and weekend hours
  • More likely to accept new patients
  • Community-governed
  • More services under one roof

Together, let’s raise awareness about the positive impacts health centers have on our communities. Share with friends and family on how DFD is supporting our neighborhoods and can help support them.

EventsGeneral News

In Memoriam: Karen Marie Bronk

Karen Marie BronkKaren Marie Bronk

12/25/53 – 06/18/2018

Karen Bronk of Turner died peacefully at the Hospice House on June 18th after a three-year struggle with cancer.

Karen was born in Connecticut into a family which included six brothers. The family lived for a time in Germany before moving back to the States.

Karen graduated from UMass Boston and eventually earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of New England.

Karen and her husband, Peter Driscoll, moved to Maine from Boston in 1979 seeking a more peaceful and rural lifestyle. They first settled in Salem before moving to Turner in 1990.

Karen worked as a professional social worker all of her adult life. She worked in several local agencies including Tri-County Mental Health, Androscoggin Home Health and Hospice Services, and the Spurwink School. For the past 16 years, she has been a behavioral health specialist working with DFD Russell Medical Center in Turner where she provided kindness, support and help for individuals struggling with life challenges to find their own path for success.

Karen was a woman of many talents and interests. She was an avid reader. She loved to garden, her home surrounded by beautiful flowering trees, shrubs and plants. She was an accomplished equestrian and loved the gentle and subtle relationship she was able to develop with her horses. She was a marathoner. And she was a skilled canoeist. Karen and Peter paddled hundreds of miles of wilderness rivers in Maine and Canada. For a short time, they operated a small canoe camping business.

Nothing brought Karen more joy than her family. Karen and Peter have been together through life’s joys, hardships and adventures for more than 40 years. Theirs was a loving, respectful and committed relationship.

Karen decided later in life that she wanted to become a mother. She began the process that led to the arrival of first Rufino (now 16) and later Manuel (now 14) into their family. She was a fabulous mother and worked tirelessly to create a home environment that was nurturing, gentle, challenging and supportive. She took great pride in witnessing her two sons grow into fine and mature young men.

Karen was an incredibly kind and gentle soul. She also possessed a core strength that sustained her through her difficult struggle with cancer. She continued to work until the last month of her life because she viewed her work as a commitment to making her corner of the world a better place. She is fondly remembered by many friends and colleagues.

She is survived by her husband, Peter, and sons Rufino and Manuel, and five brothers.

Gifts in her memory can be made to the Karen Bronk fund at DFD Russell Medical Center in Turner which will be used to support unmet patient needs.

A Memorial Service to celebrate her life will be scheduled in the near future.

General News

Food Mobile to Bring Emergency Food  To Monmouth

WHAT: The Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Food Mobile will be distributing food, including fresh produce, perishable and non-perishable items to people in need in the MONMOUTH, NORTH MOMOUTH, LEEDS AND WAYNE area.

WHO: Anyone in need of emergency food assistance in MONMOUTH, NORTH MOMOUTH, LEEDS, WAYNE and the surrounding area is welcome to attend.

WHEN: JUNE 21, 2018 FROM 1030 AM TO 12 NOON

WHERE: MONMOUTH TOWN OFFICE PARKING LOT, MAIN STREET, MONMOUTH, MAINE

WHY: Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Food Mobile program allows us to expand our outreach to Maine’s neediest and most underserved communities. Designed to be a low-barrier distribution, our Food Mobile visits communities with a demand for emergency and supplemental food that has outgrown the capacity of local food pantries.
This distribution has been made possible through the generosity of :
Helen and George Ladd Charitable Corp.
Lincoln Ladd
P.O. Box 7
Wayne, ME 04284

About Good Shepherd Food Bank
As the largest hunger relief organization in Maine, Good Shepherd Food Bank provides for Mainers facing hunger by distributing nutritious food to more than 400 partner agencies across the state, including food pantries, meal sites, schools, and senior programs. Together with its network, the Food Bank leads a statewide effort to combat the root causes of hunger by engaging in advocacy, nutrition education, and strategic partnerships. In 2015, the Food Bank distributed 19 million meals to families, children, and seniors in need throughout Maine. Website: www.feedingmaine.org; Phone: (207) 782-3554; Facebook: www.facebook.com/feedingmaine; Twitter: www.twitter.com/feedingmaine.

EventsGeneral News

DFD’s Guide to Ticks

Ticks are in full-force this season and cases of tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease are on the rise. Use the information below to make sure you and your family are being tick smart.

TicksIdentification

Deer Tick: Deer ticks are known to cause Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Powassan.

Dog Tick: Dog ticks are not known to transmit Lyme disease.

Learn more about identifying ticks here: http://extension.umaine.edu/ipm/tickid/

Prevention

  • Wear light-colored, long-sleeved clothing.
  • Use insect repellent on skin or clothing.
  • Do regular tick checks when returning inside.
  • Protect furry friends with repellents and ask your vet about a Lyme disease vaccine.

Did you find an attached tick?

How big is the tick, pencil eraser or pencil tip?
Was the tick embedded into your skin?
Do you know how long the tick was embedded?
Do you have a rash?

Removal

  • Using tweezers, grasp the tick close to the skin and gently pull until the tick lets go.
  • Using a tick spoon, place the wide part of the notch on the skin near the tick. Apply downward pressure on the skin and slide the remover forward to frame the tick until it becomes detached. –Maine CDC
  • Do not be concerned if the entire insect does not come out; it will work its way out. Do not dig for it.
  • Some redness at the extraction site is normal.
  • Clean the area around the bite and watch for any signs and symptoms for 30 days.

Symptoms

Symptoms include, but aren’t limited to:

  • fever
  • headache
  • weakness
  • fatigue
  • body aches
  • joint pain
  • rash
  • vomiting
  • confusion
  • loss of coordination
  • speech difficulties
  • changes in behavior
  • seizures

If you remove an engorged deer tick, store it in a small container for potential testing and consult your primary care provider immediately.

 

General News