Wellness Clinic & Blood Pressure Screenings
Please call The Thompson for the new clinic schedule.
Foot Care Clinics
As we sadly bid farewell to Mary Wood on September 18th for her last foot clinic, we are diligently pursuing continuity of care by finding her replacement. Please call The Thompson to be added to a foot clinic appointment wait list and you will be notified as soon as a schedule is in place. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this transition.
Water Aerobics Class
Woodstock Athletic Club
Fridays, July 26 – Sept. 27
1:30 – 2:15 pm, Cost: $80 for 10 week class
The Thompson Center will provide shuttle service to and from class if needed. Please register in
advance by calling 457-3277. Payment is due at time of reservation and must be received prior to the start of class series.
Hand or Foot Reflexology
Offered by Deborah Neuhof, Certified Reflexologist
Tuesdays, Aug 20 & 27, 9:30 – 12:30 pm
$30 for 30 minutes
Experience Reflexology techniques to de-stress and promote a balanced, wholistic well-being. Loose clothing recommended. Call in advance to make your appointment.
Chair Massage
Thursdays, 9:00 – 11:00 am
$15 for 15 minutes
Massage Therapist Sara Smith will offer 15 minute massages or you can ask for more or less time at the time of your reservation. Be kind to yourself and treat yourself to a chair massage by calling The Thompson.
Medicare Open Enrollment Talk
Presented by Senior Solutions at The Thompson Center
Tuesday, September 24, 1:00 pm
Medicare’s Annual Open Enrollment period is October 15th to December 7th. This informational talk is an important opportunity for all Medicare beneficiaries to review their Medicare Drug Coverage and Medicare Part C plan. Everyone enrolled in Medicare should check how their plan coverage works. As a beneficiary, this responsibility is yours. If you need help, don’t wait – get your questions answered early. Help is also available at www.medicare.gov – the official U.S. government site for Medicare. You should ask these questions to prepare for Open Enrollment:
- Is the cost (premium) of my plan changing?
- Will my plan still cover the drugs I need?
- Are there any drug restrictions?
- How does my plan coordinate with any state or federal benefits, if I receive these? (Examples: V-Pharm, Extra Help-Low Income Subsidy, or Medicaid)
- Is there a plan that fits my needs better than my current one?
Please call The Thompson to register.
Thompson’s Annual Falls Prevention Awareness Program and Balance Screenings
Presented by Mt. Ascutney Hospital Physical Therapists
Wednesday, September 25, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Are you worried about falling? Are you ready to be steady?
There are so many things you can do to stay steady and prevent a fall!
- Check your vision yearly
- Pick up clutter
- Review your medications
- Get physically active
To understand more detail about the things that can contribute to falls, the VT chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association will team up with the Falls Free Vermont Coalition to present Stay Steady Vermont events across the state in September, in recognition of National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Each event will offer an informational session followed by individual balance screenings by licensed Physical Therapists using the CDC-approved STEADI criteria. Participants can participate in a brief balance screen and receive recommendations based on the results. Pre-registration is needed to ensure that time is allotted for screening. For more information and to register, please call The Thompson, 457-3277.
Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Contact Linda Hazard, PT, at Ottauquechee Health Center at 802-457-5409 if you have any questions pertaining to the balance screening.
Healthier Living Workshop: Chronic Pain Management
A Workshop facilitated by community health teams from Gifford Medical Center and Mt. Ascutney Hospital
Free Six Week Series: Tuesdays, October 1,8,15,22,29 and November 5, 12:30-3:00 pm
What the Program Offers:
- Techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, isolation, and poor sleep
- Exercises to improve your strength, flexibility, and endurance
- Tips for talking with family, friends, and health care professionals about pain
Who It’s For:
People living with chronic pain for more than 3-6 months. Some chronic conditions are: musculoskeletal, fibromyalgia, post surgical pain that lasts beyond 6 months, neuropathic pain, and post stroke pain. This workshop can also benefit people with persistent headache, Crohns disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, or those with severe muscular pain from conditions such as multiple sclerosis.
To register, please call The Thompson.
Dementia Care Training
Presented by TLC homecare at The Thompson Center
A Series of 3 Workshops developed by Teepa L. Snow, Dementia Care and Training Specialist, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Utilizing Positive Approach to Care (PAC) Training
Wednesdays, October 23 & 30 and November 6, 2:00-4:00 pm
October 23rd, Workshop A – Normal Aging/Not Normal Aging helps learners understand and recognize the differences in normal and not normal aging.
October 30th, Workshop B – Positive Physical Approach (PPA) and Hand-under-Hand (HuH) focuses on PAC’s care partnering techniques that enable care partners to shift from simply dealing with the behaviors to creating a positive and caring environment.
November 6th, Workshop C – Teepa’s GEMS®; Using Skills that Make a Difference offers an overview of Teepa Snow’s brain change model.
These free workshops are intended for professional caregivers, family caregivers, and for individuals interested in a better understanding of dementia. These workshops can help care partners recognize the difference between normal and non-normal aging, give you skills to handle difficult situations as they arise, and give you knowledge and experience to make sure your cherished loved ones are safe and supported.
More information about each workshop can be found on our website at www.thompsonseniorcenter.org. Please pre-register by calling The Thompson Center.
FITNESS H2O on FREE SENIOR FRIDAYS
Upper Valley Aquatic Center
9:15 – 10:10 am
Open swimming available from 9-11 am
A low-impact, low-intensity class in the shallow-water, focusing on overall strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility. Seniors get in free to all of UVAC facility Fridays 9-11am! This is a free walk-in class for those 65 and older. All fitness levels are welcome.
Transportation provided by The Thompson Center upon request.
Tai Chi for your Balance, Coordination, and Relaxation
Beginner 9:30 am, Advanced 10:45 am
Every Wednesday except 10/30, 11/27 & 12/25
Our Thompson Tai Chi classes provide a weekly hour of enjoyable time when you can improve your balance, body alignment, coordination, memory, and pleasure in movement. The slow, gentle steps of tai chi have surprising ability to strengthen the legs, while the arm gestures engage muscles in the back and core. Many class participants find tai chi a great stress reducer! Instructors Anne and Jane offer encouragement and really enjoy teaching.
Fall classes for the remainder of 2019 will start up Wednesday, Sept. 4th, right after Labor Day. The beginner/intermediate class runs from 9:30-10:30 and the more advanced group meets from 10:45-11:45. If you have questions, please call Anne at 457-2877. We’ll have classes every Wednesday except Oct. 30, Nov. 27, and Dec. 25. Cost is $3 per class.
Strengthen and Stretch Class
Note New Summer Schedule- No Monday Class until October 4
Led by Certified Fitness Trainer, Liz Hatfield
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:00 -10:00 am
Stretching and balance work will be incorporated in these classes. Monday class will resume in early October. All levels and abilities are welcome! Mats will be provided but you are encouraged to bring your own if you have one.
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
Ongoing, on the third Wednesday of each month, 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Support and education can make a critical difference for family members and caregivers of patients with memory loss or disorders such as Alzheimer’s. Please join our confidential monthly support group (with complimentary lunch) and share ideas, concerns, and constructive feedback with others facing similar challenges.
Bone Builders
Tuesday and Thursday at 3:00 pm
The Bone Builders exercise program, developed at Tufts University, addresses bone health for people of all ages. Women especially may have thinning of bones as early as age 40, but men are welcome in this class and will benefit as well.
Bone Builders classes, with instructor Althea Derstine, are ongoing on Monday and Thursday each week. Classes are free. Minimum of six participants required. Please sign up in advance.
MEMOIR CLUB
Ongoing, Mondays, 10:15 am – noon
In this informal group, we encourage one another as we record stories that may otherwise be lost or forgotten. Each person has an opportunity to read aloud one to two pages each week often triggering group memories and lively discussion. No pressure… reading is optional!
Veggie VanGo at Mt. Ascutney Hospital
Second Tuesday of each month
10:00 am – 11:00 am
VeggieVanGo, a mobile nutrition program of the Vermont Foodbank, will be coming to Mt. Ascutney Hospital once a month to provide FREE fresh produce for people facing hunger. So if you know of an individual, family or patient who might benefit from receiving a delivery of fresh, healthy veggies, you can help by sharing this information and encouraging them to pick up their FREE vegetables. And if you, or members of your family could benefit from the program, we hope you’ll come too! Visit Vermont Foodbank for more information.
ADVANCE DIRECTIVE CLINIC
2nd Monday of the month, 1:00 – 3:00 pm, by appointment
Would your loved ones know your wishes about medical care if you were unable to speak for yourself? There is a legal document called an Advance Directive that you can complete to give guidelines about your wishes and appoint someone to represent you if you are not able. We have arranged for a trained and caring volunteer to be at the Thompson Center every 2nd Monday from 1pm – 3pm. These volunteers will take the time to explain both the document and the simple process used to make your wishes known. The most important part of this process is talking to those you love about what matters most to you. You can call 457-3277 to schedule an appointment.
Get Your Medical Questions Answered by a Gifford Medical Center Health Care Provider
Do you have a medical question that you would like answered by a medical professional? Tune in to the Royalton Community Radio program, “On Call”, on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 -7:00 pm on FM channel 96.5. If there is a specific topic you would like to hear about, call Nikki Gewirz, P.A. at 802-763-2700 or email her at ngewirz@giffordmed.org.