VNA’s birthday cake shines brightly in its 100th year

VNA Community Health Care, our local Branford VNA, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

A vitally important service most of us have depended on at one time or another, the nonprofit Visiting Nurse Associations nationwide care for 4 million patients each year and employ 75,000 health care professionals.

Our local VNA originated in 1910, when Dr. Charles W. Gaylord and some of Branford’s wealthier residents hired Maude Britt to serve as the town nurse. The Guilford VNA came into existence in 1920 when nurse Salina Callahan was hired.

At that time, the nurses main role was to assist with home births and to teach families about good sanitation. Subsequently, they also handled TB outbreaks and childhood diseases such as measles and mumps. Today, of course, they are responsible for such diverse needs as flu vaccinations, fall prevention and helping patients manage conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

All VNAs have similar goals and services, but are separate organizations. Recently, VNA Community Healthcare acquired Hamden and Madison and will serve Greater New Haven and the Shoreline. An important advantage to this consolidation is an area-wide caregiver support network and the sharing of up-to-date technology such as home monitoring and medical alert systems.

The latter features a special medical dispenser that chimes when it is time for a pill. If the pill is not taken, it sends an alert to a call center. Classes on how to avoid falls, good nutrition and other wellness strategies are an important part of the VNA prevention program, and they are held in several convenient locations.

According to Barbara Katz, VNA’s director of Clinical Program Development, “The VNA nurse is the first line of defense against going to a nursing home and their help can be enlisted when”:

-There is a new diagnosis or treatment or a medical condition that is getting worse.

-The person is on Medicare.

-An individual is homebound.

VNA Community Healthcare has a private-duty, affiliate known as Life Time Solutions, with offices in Guilford, Old Saybrook and North Haven. Strong House is the VNA’s weekday respite care facility in Madison, providing transportation, nursing, programs and meals. Call 203-245-0524.

The VNA has a help line and problem-solving resource that may be reached at 866-474-5230. They also offer a caregiver support network and various helpful publications, including caregiver tip cards and personal health notebooks.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary, the VNA is interested in collecting old stories from past workers or families who received care. To share your story, call Michele Ferguson at 203-458-4277.

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Right this way for the Grand Central tour

Over the years, I have probably been in Grand Central Terminal several-hundred times, but like most of the 5-6 million daily commuters, I had never really “seen” it until I joined a recent Orange Senior day trip that included an insider’s view of this New York icon.

Grand Central Terminal (often incorrectly referred to as Grand Central Station, which is the subway station underneath the terminal) was built in 1913 at a time when new electrification technology allowed arriving trains to go underground.

Although it was built and named for the New York Central Railroad when many long-distance trains used the station, today it serves only commuter traffic from platforms on two levels; 41 upper and 26 platforms on the lower. There is a secret platform, No. 61 under the station which was used to convey President FDR and his limo, directly into the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. There is also a little known and very special, cocktail lounge which occupies the former elegant hideaway office and apartment of John W. Campbell. In memory of this ’30s tycoon, a popular drink is called “Prohibition Punch.”

Our guide pointed out many remarkable design innovations used in the building of Grand Central. Ramps, instead of stairs are used in most areas making it easier to move from one place to another. The architecture, by cleverly opening or narrowing spaces, although we are unaware of it, encourages us to slow down or walk more quickly.

The use of amber lights gives a soft, warm glow throughout. The 125-foot-high ceiling, which arches over the 80,000-square-foot main concourse, also has many unique features. It portrays the Mediterranean sky with October-March zodiac and 2,500 stars. A section of the zodiac is depicted backward, because Paul Helleu, the artist, took inspiration from a medieval manuscript that depicted the heavens as viewed from outside the celestial sphere. If you follow a line on the ceiling, you will also notice a small, very dark area. It is the color of the ceiling previous to renovation caused by accumulation of dirt and nicotine over the years.

Two major features of the Grand Concourse are “the clock,” a favorite meeting place at the center of the information booths, and the grand staircases. Each of the four faces on the clock is made from opal and its estimated value is between $10 and $20 million. Originally, there was only one grand staircase; the second (which is the one on the east side leading to the Metrazur restaurant) was added during the restoration. Both beautiful marble staircases are modeled after the one at the Paris Opera House.

Our guide showed us the area where from 1939-1964 CBS broadcast their evening news programs, including Ed R. Murrow’s well known “See It Now.” The comings and goings of the trains, however, caused frequent lost signal problems, which necessitated a constant adjustment of the “rabbit ears” on viewer’s sets as they lost the program.

By the 1950s, we had become a nation of suburbs and cars and, of course, the cost of prime Manhattan real estate had soared. The interior of the terminal became filled with advertising and billboards in an effort to make money and in 1954 plans to demolish Grand Central and replace it with an office tower, were advanced.

Although the Landmarks Preservation Commission had designated Grand Central as a landmark, Penn Central filed an $8 million lawsuit against the City of New York, and the litigation lasted nearly a decade.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Brendan Gill rallied other influential New Yorkers in the fight to keep Grand Central, and it is now a National Historic Landmark: 1983 saw its takeover by MTA Metro-North which instituted an ambitious revitalization plan.

Now, with five upscale restaurants, including the famous Oyster Bar, 20 casual eateries, a gourmet food court and 50 specialty shops, Grand Central not only serves thousands of commuters, it is a historic landmark and tourist destination.

Free tours are available on Wednesdays at 12:30 from the Municipal Art Society, 212-935-3960, or Fridays, also at 12:30, given by the Grand Central Partnership, 212-883-2420. After taking the tour, you will never be able to rush through Grand Central in the same old way again.

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Learn all you can about your cancer

Next Sunday marks the 23rd National Cancer Survivors Day, a worldwide celebration of life, held in hundreds of communities and many countries. A survivor is anyone living with a history of cancer — from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life.

Breast cancer has touched both me and my daughter-in-law, so I was especially interested to come across two helpful tools which could make a big difference to anyone with a cancer diagnosis. The first is a book, “The Saving of Gordon — Lifelines to Win Against Cancer” by Joni-James Aldrich, and its handy companion, the “Cancer Patient Win Book Journal,” an excellent repository for all your doctor visits and notes.

The author believes that if cancer affects you or a loved one, you will be in crisis, but despite that, you should not make assumptions or rash decisions. Your survival may well depend on knowing and understanding all options, the side effects and ramifications.

Aldrich feels, “Knowledge is your armor. Your doctor is a doctor — not God. He doesn’t have all the answers.” Her book explains that there are more than 100 different types of cancer, and there is no type of cancer from which someone has not recovered.

The same cancer can act differently in different people and a wrong diagnosis can lead to the wrong treatment and the danger of delay. The author states that doctors are there to advise you of your options, and that is why it is so important to find those who have the most experience.

She also is a believer, as am I, in getting a reliable second opinion. Her wise advice regarding cancer is certainly applicable to other illnesses, as well. For example, she says if your cancer situation is serious and life-threatening, get treatment at the facility with the experts. We’re lucky to live near our new Smilow Cancer Center and Sloan Kettering. The author lists these important questions to ask:

-How serious is the type of cancer that I have?

-What stage is my cancer in?

-Is there effective treatment available?

-Is a clinical trial an option?

-What cancer facility is available that treats the most cases of my type of cancer?

-Who and where is the No. 1 oncologist for my type of cancer?

Although she eventually lost Gordon to a rare type of cancer, Joni James Aldrich’s beautifully written and researched book is a lasting tribute to their special relationship and to her determined spirit against great odds. Not all of us have the ability or staying power to do such extensive, difficult work, and that is where my second resource could prove extremely valuable.

Independent patient advocate Robert Capria offers one-on-one individual information, guidance and help. He and his wife (both cancer survivors themselves) live in the New Haven area and while he does not offer medical advice, he does claim that with the research and guidance he can offer, better outcomes are more achievable.

He does the difficult leg work, obtains the latest medical information so that you can make the best treatment choices. After visiting his www.independentpatientadvocates.com, I certainly wound want him on my team if my cancer were to re-occur.

“The Saving of Gordon” may be ordered at www.thecancerlifeline.com. Independent Patient Advocates offers a free phone consult at 203-980-6064.

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We need vibrant libraries now more than ever

Today’s libraries, with their multitude of services, are being used by more people than ever before. Unfortunately, funds for many libraries are also being severely curtailed. The East Haven Hagaman Memorial Library, guided by the capable and dedicated Cynthia Gwiazda, the community services librarian, has initiated a series of cost-effective, popular programs.

Giving a boost to local authors, as well as providing an entertaining evening, Hagaman’s recent authors included Henry Lee presenting, “Shocking Cases from Dr. Lee’s Forensic Files,” “A Measure of Joy,” written by Reiki master teacher Gay Stinnett and Tom Ackerman’s novel, “For a Reason,” which explores why things happen.

There is also a classics book discussion group and a contemporary fiction discussion group, both of which meet in the afternoon. Free movie nights include pizza and soft drinks, and free ballroom dance lessons for tango, waltz and swing were available earlier this spring.

There have been free concerts and a virtual program, “50 Wonders of Korea.” For anyone inspired by the latter to take a trip, the library will have a special Passport Day June 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help anyone needing a passport.

A special feature for anyone older than 60 who is homebound (permanently or for a short period) is the Homebound Delivery Service, which Cynthia was able to start after she applied for and received a special government grant. Regular- and large-print books, as well as videos and books on tape, can be delivered to the homes of East Haven residents.

One of the most innovative programs at their library is the Adopt-an-Author plan. You agree to purchase one copy of each new book published by your favorite author for one year. In turn, you are able to borrow the book first, after which it becomes part of the circulating collection and can carry your identification on a book plate.

As part of their effort to make the library a vital social center for the town, new carpeting, bright new windows and a new air-conditioning system have been installed. Getting people to use their town library has been the goal of many libraries. Some have created cafes and special zones to appeal to teenagers.

While the economy has encouraged people to seek free Internet access at the library for job hunts and free book and movie rentals, library hours, along with senior services and arts programs, are on the chopping block in many states. One Dallas library countered budget cuts with a program called Street Smart Express, which charges a $5 fee for any hot, new book.

It will be interesting to see how the Internet and Kindle affect the library of the future. Library scholarship began in the Great Library of Alexandria, paid for with funds from the royal treasury, and the books were actually scrolls made of papyrus or leather. Today, there is already a library in Massachusetts that is completely electronic; there is not a single book!

It is discouraging to learn that 40 percent of the people in America read one book or less last year, but a rare June 1938 comic book, the first to feature Superman, sold recently for a cool million dollars. Will the printed word become an endangered species? Only time will tell, but this writer is betting on its survival.

Meanwhile, have you checked out what’s happening at your local library lately? For programs at the East Haven library, call 203-468-3890 or go to www.hagamanlibrary.info.

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