Walk-In Seasonal Flu Clinics – Get Vaccinated!
In partnership with Ottauquechee Health Foundation (OHF), The Thompson Center will be providing free van transportation to and from Bridgewater Community Center and Ottauquechee Health Center to the following Upper Valley FREE Flu Clinic.
*Please call The Thompson Center to schedule pick-up times as seating will be limited.
Date: Tuesday, October 22nd
Pick Up locations and Times: Bridgewater Community Center, 4:30pm & OHC main entrance 5pm
Clinic Location: Yates Common Room at Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT
Description: The Public Health Council of the Upper Valley is hosting a FREE flu vaccine clinic in the Yates Common Room at Vermont Law School. Vaccines are available to anyone aged 10 and older. They will be offering both regular dose vaccine and FLUAD, which has been designed specifically for people 65 years and older. All vaccines are preservative-free.
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.
Medicare Open Enrollment Medicare Part “D” Assistance
With Samantha Ball, Coordinator Windsor Community Health Clinic at MAH
November 6, 13, 19, 26 and December 4, 8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Call The Thompson for 1:1 Assistance
- Medicare card – the red white and blue card
- Current 2015 Medicare Part D card & Green Mountain Care/VPharm card if you have one
- All health insurance cards
- If currently working from your current employer or spouse’s employer if you are covered under your spouse’s Employer Group Health Plan (EGHP)
- If retired your former employer’s retirement plan card
- If currently on Medicare bring your Medigap supplemental plan or Medicare Advantage health insurance cards
- A list of all medications/drugs – this information needs to be taken from pill bottles for accuracy
- Name of the drug
- Dosage (EX: 10 mg, 20 mcg, whether it’s a cream or ointment)
- Useage: How many pills of this drug taken each day – EX: 3 pills each day is 90 pills useage each month.
- Any letters received from Medicare, state of Vermont: VPharm, Green Mountain Care/Medicaid and Social Security: Social Security retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Wellness and Foot Care Clinic
With Carmen Sleeper, RN
Fourth Thursday of each month*
*November date is Tuesday, the 26th due to Thanksgiving holiday
Wellness and Blood Pressure Clinic 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Foot Clinic 12:30 – 3:00 pm, by appointment
Carmen will be offering foot care as well and will eventually fill Mary Wood’s bi-monthly schedule for foot care by mid fall. Please call The Thompson to schedule an appointment.
Fall Prevention Clinic at The Thompson
Provided by Upper Valley Rehab Physical Therapists
Wednesday, October 30 and November 20
8:30 – 10:30 am, by appointment
Falls are not a normal part of aging and can result in more serious injuries over time, but the risks can be reduced by working on all the possible causes.
Upper Valley Rehab will be offering a Fall Prevention Clinic at the Thompson Center and will provide free comprehensive fall risk Screenings for people who have fallen or who have a fear of falling. At the Clinic/Assessment, a licensed physical therapist will ask participants to complete a fall assessment screen which will include a history of previous falls and what might be causing them. Additionally, a therapist will screen participant’s gait, balance, range of motion, strength and sensation and ask questions regarding home environment, fear of falling concerns, and pertinent medical history that can contribute to falls. This total assessment will include your screen results, which can be sent to your primary care physician, and recommendations for treatment if needed. Each comprehensive assessment is about fifteen minutes and will require an appointment.
Water Aerobics Class
Woodstock Athletic Club
Fridays, 1:30 – 2:15 pm – No Class on 11/1 & 11/29
Cost: $72 for 9 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, Nov. 1 & 15, 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.
Yoga Pain Clinic
with Karobi Sachs CSYT, RYT 500, E-RYT 500
Offered by Central Street Yoga & Meditation at The Thompson Center
Tuesday, November 12, 4:00 – 6:30 pm
Please register at https://svaroopa.org/ypc-taftsville-191112 or by calling The Thompson Center
Do you live in pain? Looking for an alternative way to manage your pain? Learn how to live a pain-free life! Svaroopa® yoga can reduce and eliminate pain – come and see how. Find out how yoga can help you with your aches and pains. Learn what is going on from yoga’s perspective and experience a few body-friendly yoga poses selected specifically for those in attendance. At the end of the program, you will know if classes or private therapy sessions will be likely to help you.
Grocery Tour with Sheryl C. Hoehner, MS, RDN, LDN
Wednesday, November 13, 1:00 pm
Do you or a family member have type II diabetes or pre-diabetes? Do you want to learn more about healthy eating, shopping, and cooking? Have you ever wished you could visit the grocery store with a registered dietitian? This is your chance. We will tour Mac’s grocery store in Woodstock with Sheryl C. Hoehner MS, RDN, LDN. Sheryl will take us through the store making stops to discuss carbohydrate counting, the benefits of including fiber, healthy fats and the best options for meat and seafood just to name a few.
We’ll then head back to The Thompson Center to taste a few items we picked up along the way.
Please register in advance as there will be limited enrollment.
Sheryl is a registered dietician with many years of experience. She started her career working at the USDA as part of a team doing nutrition research. She has also worked as a clinical dietitian at Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital as well as serving for almost 23 years in the United States Army. She has also worked as a grocery store dietitian for over 20 years. She has taught hundreds of nutrition and cooking classes for folks of all ages. Her passion is helping people to Eat Well: making choices that are easy, tasty, healthy, and affordable.
Hearing Healthcare and Hearing Aid Updates
Presented by Johnson Audiology
Monday, December 9, 1:00 pm
Hearing loss affects over 36 million Americans and is the third most common health problem in the United States. Audiologist, Dr. Julie Johnson, will discuss the changing landscape of hearing healthcare and how to be a savvy hearing aid consumer and what to look for from a hearing aid provider.
Dr. Johnson, graduated from Gallaudet University in Washington, DC and completed her externship at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. She moved to the Upper Valley in 2003 to join Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center as a clinical Audiologist and later as a clinical coordinator. In 2014, Dr. Johnson established Johnson Audiology, a private practice providing hearing health care to continuing care facilities, including Kendal at Hanover. Dr. Johnson has a working proficiency in American Sign Language (ASL) and is Board Certified by the American Board of Audiology.
Dr. Rieke graduated with a Doctor of Audiology degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. She completed her externship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in 2009. She continues to see patients at DHMC and also works as a research Audiologist for a lab at Dartmouth College. Dr. Rieke is Board Certified by the American Board of Audiology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology. In addition, she conducts research related to cochlear changes from noise and ototoxicity. Dr. Rieke is also involved in research related to developing low-cost audiometric technology to improve global hearing healthcare in impoverished rural communities. For more information about their services, visit www.johnsonaudiology.org.
Chair Massage
Thursdays, 10:00 – 12:00 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.
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 10/23, 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. 23, Nov. 27, and Dec. 25. Cost is $3 per class.
Strengthen and Stretch Class
Led by Certified Fitness Trainer, Liz Hatfield
Modified Schedule on Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:00 -10:00 am
While Liz Hatfield is on a short medical leave, the Tuesday morning class will be offered as a Bone Builders class faciliated by instructor Althea Derstine. Walk-ins are welcome. Thursday morning class members are welcome to meet at the Thompson for a self-led exercise session in Liz’s absence. We are working on offering a third morning exercise class. Please call Pam at The Thompson for details.
This popular class incorporates aerobics, stretching, strength and weight bearing exercises. The benefits of these exercises include strengthening, bone building, balance and overall conditioning and coordination. Cost is $3 per class.
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.