Health&

Wellness
MARCH 2015

VACCINATION

Why immunize
against
measles? 7
PETS

Pet health and

your health 10
ANCIENT

A word on
Japanese
medicine 10
STREAMLINING

New efficiencies
rule medicine 19
ALTERNATIVES

Acupuncture
near home 23

plus A listing of area Hospitals and Emergency Services

Published by The Lakeville Journal Co., LLC The Lakeville Journal, The Millerton News, The Winsted Journal, www.TriCornerNews.com

2 Health
HEALTH & Wellness,
WELLNESS, march
March 2015
2015

Proud to provide individualized Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy Programs as

well as Medical & Skilled Nursing Care to the Northwest corner for over 20 ye ars.

Apple Rehab Kent 46 Maple Street Kent CT 06757 phone: 860.927.5368 fax: 860.927.1594 www.apple-rehab.com

HEALTH
HEALTH&&WELLNESS,
WELLNESS,MARCH
March 2015
2015 3

2015 Health & Wellness

Marsden Epworth
Editor, Designer
James Clark
Production Coordinator, Cover Design

or a fifth year we are

publishing Health &
Wellness, bringing our
readers the latest information on area hospitals
and emergency rooms,
recent health-care initiatives, a look at some
alternative treatments
and, for the fun of it, offering ideas about keeping pets healthy, so they
can continue to keep us
healthy, too.
We hope you enjoy our
latest Health & Wellness.

Photo: Ian Johnson

Published by
The Lakeville Journal Company, LLC
33 Bissell St., Lakeville, CT, 800-339-9873
www.tricornernews.com

Health & Wellness

Elizabeth Castrodad
Advertising Coordinator
Amanda Maya Winans
Derek Van Deusen
Composing
Cover photo by Marsden Epworth

Veterinarian Ali Trotta works

on a client.

Marsden Epworth
Editor

Geer For All Reasons

Outpatient Physical Therapy

860-824-3820

Outpatient Physical Therapy

Adult Day Center

860-824-7067

Adult Day Center

Dial-A-Ride
Independent Retirement Living
Assisted Living

Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation

860-824-5137
Geer Village
860-824-8133

Memory Care
Skilled Nursing
Short Term Rehabilitation
Long Term Care
www.geercares.org
77-99 South Canaan Road
Canaan, CT 06018
1-888-845-9531

4 HEALTH
March 2015
Health & WELLNESS,
Wellness, march
2015

Area Hospitals and Emergency Services

CONNECTICUT
Charlotte Hungerford
Hospital, Torrington, CT
540 Litchfield St.,
Torrington, CT 06790;
Phone: 860-496-6666;
www.charlottehungerford.
org; Emergency care: 24/7;
109 beds; Among specialties:
Maternity care, cardiology,
cancer treatment.
Fast Track treatment of
non-life threatening injuries
24-hours daily; 540 Litchfield
St., Torrington, CT, 06790;
Phone: 860-496-6666
Concentra Urgent Care,
Torrington, CT.
333 Kennedy Drive, #202,

Torrington, CT 06790;
Phone: 860-482-4552; www.
concentraurgentcare.com;
Urgent Care Hours: Monday
to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Danbury Hospital,
Danbury, CT
24 Hospital Ave, Danbury,
CT 06810; Phone: 203-7397000; www.danburyhospital.
org; Danbury Hospital is
a 371-bed regional medical
center and university
teaching hospital associated
with Yale University School
of Medicine, the University
of Connecticut School of
Medicine, and the University
of Vermont College of
Medicine.

Hartford Hospital,
Hartford, CT
80 Seymour St., Hartford,
CT 06102; Phone: 860-5455000; www.harthosp.org; 867
beds; Emergency care 24/7;
Among specialties: Life Star,
cancer center, heart center,
stroke center, transplant
program

Northwest Connecticut
Medical Walk In,
Torrington, CT
1598 East Main St.,
Torrington, CT 06790;
Phone: 860-489-8444; Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 6:30
p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m. to 3:30
p.m.; Sunday: 9 a.m. to 12:30
p.m.

New Milford Hospital,

New Milford, CT
21 Elm St., New Milford, CT
06766; Phone: 860-355-2611;
www.newmilfordhospital.
org. Emergency care 24/7;
85 beds; Among specialties:
Regional Cancer Center;
Regional Heart Center

Sharon Hospital, Sharon, CT

50 Hospital Hill Road,
Sharon CT 06069; Phone:
860-364-4000; www.
sharonhospital.com; 78
beds; Emergency care 24/7;
Among specialties: primary
stroke center, birthing suites,
sleep center, wound care

Sharon Health Care Center is an 88 bed skilled nursing & rehabilitation facility located in Sharon CT
GREAT PLACE TO LIVE:

GREAT PLACE TO WORK:

Short term rehab services

Long term care services
Dementia Care
Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy
Therapeutic Recreation

Newly renovated facility

Great benefits
Friendly environment
Employee Wellness Program
Competitive wage scale

If interested in becoming a resident or an employee, please call or stop in for additional information!
Sharon Health Care Center
27 Hospital Hill Road
Sharon, CT 06069
Phone# 860-364-1002; Fax# 860-364-0237

Health
2015 5
HEALTH&&Wellness,
WELLNESS,March
March 2015

St. Francis Hospital and

Medical Center, Hartford, CT
114 Woodland St.,
Hartford, CT 06105;
Phone: 860-714-4000;
www.stfranciscare.org;
617 beds; Emergency care
24/7; Specialties include
trauma, cardiac, cancer and
orthopedic rehabilitation.
Waterbury Hospital,
Waterbury, CT
64 Robbins Street,
Waterbury, CT 06708;
Phone: 203-573-6000;
www.waterburyhospital.
org; Orthopedic services,
joint replacement, family
birthing center, urgent
care, cardiology, behavioral
health, rheumatology,
arthritis

Winsted Health Center,

Winsted, CT
115 Spencer St., Winsted, CT
06098; Phone: 860-738-6650;
www.winstedhealthcenter.org;
Emergency care: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Yale-New Haven Hospital,
New Haven, CT
20 York Street, New Haven,
CT 06510; Phone: 203-6884242; www.ynhh.org
Yale-New Haven Hospital
(YNHH) is a non-profit,
1,541-bed tertiary medical
center receiving national
and international referrals.
Yale-New Haven Hospital
includes Smilow Cancer
Hospital at Yale-New Haven,
Yale-New Haven Childrens
Hospital and Yale-New
Haven Psychiatric Hospital.

your news
your community

your life!
Stay informed of all the local news and information that is taking
place around you. Whether you are looking for the high school
sports scores, the dates for the county fair, an obituary or wedding
announcement of a friend, or the police blotter its all there!

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Newspapers &
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Counseling for
the Body & Mind
Robert Dweck, MD

Inquiries:
(845) 206-9466 robertdweckmd@gmail.com
www.robertdweckmd.com

Two Generations of Experience to Serve You

Prescriptions Nutritional Supplements Greeting Cards
Party Goods Gifts Seasonal / Holiday Items
MON.-FRI. 9 AM - 6PM: SAT. 9AM-3PM SUN. 9 AM-12 NOON

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General Dentistry
Elizabeth A. Dekker, D.D.S
344 Gay Street
Sharon, CT 06069
860.364.5001
Wheelchair Accessible

HEALTH&&Wellness,
WELLNESS,march
March 2015
66 Health
2015

Area Hospitals
MASSACHUSETTS

Berkshire Medical Center,

Pittsfield, MA
725 North St., Pittsfield, MA
01201; Phone: 413-447-2000;
www.berkshirehealthsystems.
org/body_bmc.cfm?id=43;
Emergency care 24/7; 302
beds; Among specialties:
Cancer care, cardiology, pain
management, trauma center
Fairview Hospital, Great
Barrington, MA
29 Lewis Ave., Great
Barrington, MA 01230;
Phone: 413-528-0790; www.
berkshirehealthsystems.
com/body_fh.cfm?id=39; 25
beds; Emergency care 24/7;

97 South Street, Suite 112

West Hartford, CT 60110

(860) 247-7724

Among specialties: cancer

care, cardiology, maternal
and child care Fairview
Dialysis Center at 10 Maple
Ave., Great Barrington;
Phone: 413-854-9910

NEW YORK

Albany Medical Center,

Albany, NY
43 New Scotland Ave.,
Albany, NY 12208; Phone:
518-262-3125; www.amc.edu;
Emergency care 24/7; 651
beds; Specialties include
Stroke center, robotic
surgery, Alzheimers center,
cancer and cardiovascular
research.

1019 Farmington Avenue

Bristol, CT 06010

(860) 583-5332

Columbia Memorial Hospital,

Hudson, NY
71 Prospect Ave.,
Hudson, NY 12534;
Phone: 518-828-7601; www.
columbiamemorial.com; 192
beds; Emergency care 24/7;
Among specialties: bone
and joint center; advanced
surgery, dental program

St. Francis Hospital

and Health Centers,
Poughkeepsie, NY
241 North Road,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601;
Phone: 845-483-5000; www.
sfhospital.org; Emergency
care: 24/7; 400 beds; Among
specialties: Cancer Center,
Cardiac Center; Sleep Center.

Northern Dutchess Hospital,

Rhinebeck, NY
6511 Spring Brook Ave.,
Rhinebeck, NY 12572;
Phone: 845-876-3001; www.
health-quest.org/ndh; 68
beds; Emergency care 24/7;
Specialties include bone and
joint center, surgical services,
womens services.

Vassar Brothers Medical

Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
45 Reade Place, Poughkeepsie,
NY 12601; Phone: 845-454-8500;
www.health-quest.org/home_
vb.cfm?id=11; Emergency
care 24/7; 365 beds; Among
specialties: cardiac surgery;
cancer services; women and
childrens health.

9 Norfolk Road
Torrington, CT 06790

(860) 482-7944

Hearing Care Centers has been in practice for over 30 years, serving your
community in hearing healthcare. We are pleased to announce the addition of
Andrea M. Bates, Au.D., to our practice. Dr. Bates brings with her 12 years of
hearing healthcare experience in a variety of settings. She specializes in hearing
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communicate effectively by allowing them to hear at their best. Hearing wellness is
an important aspect to overall health. It is recommended that anyone aged 55 and
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technology in the hearing healthcare industry.

Health
2015 7
HEALTH&&Wellness,
WELLNESS,March
March 2015

Darryl Gangloff
looks into the matter
of measles vaccination

Why Immunize Youngsters Against Measles?

ollowing a large
outbreak of measles
linked to Disneyland
in California in midDecember, vaccinations have
become a hot topic. From debates on whether parents want
to vaccinate their children to
lawmakers discussing exemptions in various states, this
once-eliminated disease has
returned to the public eye.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Preven-

tion (CDC), 173 people were

reported to have measles in
the U.S. from Jan. 1 to March 6,
including 115 in California and
three in New York. No cases
have been reported in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
The disease was eliminated
from the United States in 2000,
but the CDC states that it was
brought back into the country
by unvaccinated travelers returning from abroad. According to the organizations data,

Hungerford
Emergency and
Medical Care
At The Winsted Health Center

the annual number of people

reported to have measles
ranged from a low of 37 people
in 2004 to a high of 644 people
in 2014.
The CDC says measles isnt
just a little rash. The highly
contagious respiratory disease
can be dangerous, especially
for children and babies. Approximately one in four people who gets measles will be
hospitalized; one out of every
1,000 will develop brain swell-

ing, which could lead to brain

damage; and one or two out of
every 1,000 will die.
The symptoms of measles
begin with a high fever that
can climb to more than 104
degrees F, and also include a
cough, runny nose, red eyes,
diarrhea, ear infection and a
rash of tiny, red spots.
Both the CDC and Torrington Area Health District
Continued on page 8

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88 HEALTH
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&WELLNESS,
Wellness, march
March 2015
2015

. . . Because It Saves Lives, Experts Say

Continued from page 7
recommend that children
receive two measles-mumpsrubella (MMR) shots to protect
them from the disease the
first dose at 12 to 15 months
of age, and the second at 4 to
6 years old. Infants six to 11
months of age should receive
a dose if they are traveling out
of the country. Approximately
three out of 100 people who
receive two doses will still be
able to contract measles.
The CDC states that most

children do not have side effects from the MMR shot, but
mild ones include a fever or
rash. Rare side effects include
a seizure caused by fever and
temporary pain and stiffness in
joints (mostly in teenagers and
adults). Despite concerns from
some parents who oppose vaccinations, no scientific links
have been found connecting
autism to the MMR shot.
Regarding school vaccine
requirements, all states allow exemptions for medical
reasons, such as allergic reac-

tions to the MMR shot. Almost

all states allow exemptions
for religious beliefs, while 20
states also allow exemptions
for philosophical beliefs. New
York, Connecticut and Massachusetts allow exemptions
for religious beliefs, but not
philosophical ones. California
allows exemptions for both
religious and philosophical
beliefs.
According to CDC data, 96.9
percent of children enrolled in
kindergarten in Connecticut in
the 2013-14 school year received

two doses of the MMR vaccine, along with 96.8 percent

in New York and 95.1 percent
in Massachusetts. Doctors say
95 percent is an ideal vaccination rate because it creates a
herd immunity, making it less
likely that unvaccinated children can spread a disease to
others. The lowest rate of 81.7
percent was reported in Colorado, while the highest rate of
99.7 percent was reported in
Mississippi.
As for exemptions, the CDC
data showed that 725 children

HEALTH&
&WELLNESS,
WELLNESS,MARCH
March 2015
HEALTH
2015 99

. . .And Its Safe

(1.9 percent) in Connecticut
received exemptions in the
2013-14 school year, along with
1,192 (1.5 percent) in Massachusetts and 1,849 (0.8 percent) in
New York. The highest rate of
exemption was in Oregon with
3,393 children (7.1 percent),
while the lowest rate was in
Mississippi with 17 children
(less than 0.1 percent). Oregon
allows exemptions for religious and philosophical beliefs; Mississippi allows them
for medical reasons only.
Following the Disneyland
outbreak, lawmakers in multiple states hope to pass legislation to make exemptions
harder to obtain. In February,
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
announced plans to introduce legislation that would
increase the amount of information provided to parents
who choose to exempt their
children from vaccinations for
nonmedical reasons.
Bad science has led some
people to believe that there is
some risk to vaccinating your
child. That is totally untrue.
The risk is leaving your child
unvaccinated. We are seeing
that play out in real time all
across the country, Murphy
said.
The irony is that if you get a
medical exemption, you actually have to visit your doctor
and get your doctor to fill out
a form. But if you want a philo-

sophical or religious exemption, all you have to do is simply sign your name, he said.
We should just expect the
same standard of information
for a philosophical or religious
exemption as we do of a medical exemption. And I think by
simply making sure that the
right information is out there,
well reverse this trend.
For more information on
measles and the MMR vaccine,
go to the CDC website at www.
cdc.gov or the Torrington Area
Health District website at www.
tahd.org.

. . . And a Word From the Opposition

Although many children in the Tri-State
area are protected against measles, throughout the United States there is opposition to
any kind of vaccination.
The Associated Press recently quoted a
number of mothers about their opposition to
this procedure.
I have the right to decide what to put into
my childs body, Heather Dillard, a registered nurse who lives in Springfield, MO,
told a reporter. Nobody has the right to put
toxic chemicals in my sons bloodstream.
Thats taking my rights away, and its very
scary to me.

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26 Hospital Hill Rd. Sharon, CT 06069
860-364-0878
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Check us out online at sharonopticalct.com

1010 HEALTH
HEALTH&&WELLNESS,
WELLNESS,MARCH
March 2015
2015

Going to the Vet

ince pets are credited

widely for the health
of their humans, who
would not eye their
pets and wish they could
tell us when they feel sick. We
look into their trusting eyes,
hoping to glean a clue or two
into potential suffering.
It turns out, just like ourselves, exercise is key to
health. Whether the goal is
to stay in shape, maintain a
healthy weight, ease maladies,
or recover from injury, there
are very simple things we can
do to make a big difference in
our pets well being.

Most of us have cats and/

or dogs. Cats, at least in this
respect, are easy to deal with.
Cabin fever set in deep this
past winter, but my feline gang
seemed to have learned how to
fly. At least thats what it looks
like when they chase each
other through the house without touching the floor. It can
be presumed they were able to
compensate for a lack of chipmunk chasing.
But the dogs did a lot of napping out of boredom. Pity and
guilt set in, and we all gained
a few pounds huddled inside
against extreme cold and

Photos: Ian Johnson

Karen Bartomioli finds

ways to keep us,
and our pets, healthy by . . .

Ali Trotta gets a client into good shape

5094 Route 22 Freshtown Shopping Center Amenia 845-373-8000

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HEALTH&&WELLNESS,
WELLNESS,MARCH
March 2015
HEALTH
2015 11

towering snowbanks that made

walks hazardous.
My German shepherd
plowed his way through the
powdery piles, so he may
have gotten some resistance
benefits. But it was hard to
throw a ball and not have it
disappear in or over a snowbank.
All that is not to say the rest
of the year is a time to leave
them to their own devices.
Veterinarian Ali Trotta embraces techniques that augment traditional animal care.
At the Millerton Veterinary
Practice she recently joined,
acupuncture, herbal medi-

cines, laser and chiropractic

treatments are routine.
Trotta has completed an
extensive certification in canine rehabilitation therapy
and veterinary acupuncture.
Her dream is to open a rehab
center for dogs after surgery
or with injuries or chronic
ailments. Calling it physical
therapy is not allowed, for
some reason, but it is slowly
becoming part of a standard of
care for pets.
Dogs are very close to humans, physiologically, Trotta
said.
Our muscles are basically
Continued on page 12

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12 HEALTH
Health&
&WELLNESS,
Wellness, March
march
2015
12
2015

Housatonic Valley Dental Care

Robert J. Bird, DDS | John J. Dannon, DMD | Kathleen Roche, DMD

60 Church St. Canaan, CT 06018 (860) 824-5101
www.hvdentalcare.com

Strengthening Dogs
Continued from page 11

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the same. Anything we do for humans to help them

recover or deal with problems, such as strengthening muscles around a sore joint, can be done with
dogs.
The same goes for staying in shape, maintaining
a healthy weight and helping to prevent injuries.
Dogs have a core, just like us, and those muscles are
the basis for overall strength and well-being.
Dachshunds, for instance, are prone to back ailments because of their long torsos.
Dogs that do strenuous workouts, such as agility training, should warm up beforehand and cross
train with core exercises.
So, now that we know our needs are the same, no
excuses! Exercising has to be more fun with a dog,
right?
Dog owners can make an appointment with vets
like Trotta to have an assessment done for rehabilitation needs, or to learn how to do exercises to
ensure continued good health or get a dog back to
an ideal weight.
As she described various routines, I imagined how
my dogs would view them simply as play with their
humans, something they never seem to get enough
of.
A very effective, very easy core exercise is to have
your dog stretch out with front paws on the back of
a sofa or anything sturdy that will bring them nearly vertical. Apply a little bit of resistance to their
ribcage or sides; just enough so that they have to
contract core muscles to keep their balance.
Weaving, where the dog runs a slalom, is good
exercise/play. It takes some work to train most dogs,
but is rewarding interaction as well, and it can be
done in the backyard.
In what turned out to be an exhausting consultation, Trotta worked with a woman and her two giant Rottweilers who do agility and other doggie
sports.
She came from quite far away. I showed her
how to work with an exercise ball on core and leg
strengthening. She took notes and seemed very

HEALTH&&WELLNESS,
WELLNESS,MARCH
March 2015
13
HEALTH
2015 13

. . . And Cats Too

serious about it. And the dogs had a lot of fun.
Shes talking about dogs standing in various positions on the same exercise balls doctors often advise
humans to sit on instead of chairs.
The small muscle movements you have to make to
maintain balance also works very well for dogs.
A good exercise for older dogs is walking backwards,
which can be tricky.
Trotta recommends using a narrow hallway where
you can walk toward them to get them to back up.
It works on flexibility and range of motion. It helps
with strength in the back legs that could prevent hip
dysplasia. Its a use-it or lose-it thing, and most dogs
dont get enough exercise for those muscles.
Much of what Trotta does is rehabilitation from
surgery or illness, or exercises for pain management
(which should only be done by a certified vet). It can
speed recovery and return physical, sensory and neurological functions, and prevent muscle atrophy from
disuse.
On her wish list is an underwater treadmill. They
make a dog version of the rehab equipment for humans. She also has tips for telling when a dog is in
discomfort.
Observe how they transition from standing or sitting
to lying down, or how they move when climbing stairs
or hopping onto the bed.
Hesitation is a clue. A dog that circles before lying
down is doing something completely normal, and
there may be nothing to worry about. But if the dog
takes a moment before before settling down or making that climb or leap, its worth a checkup.
Trotta does have a great exercise for cats, too, thats
also good for humans, because, as the saying goes,
laughter is the best medicine.
Laser pointers.
Cats cant resist them, and as smart as they think
they are, they cant figure them out. They are compelled to lay paws on them if its the last thing they do.
Just run the laser dot up a wall to give cats a good
stretching workout.

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Health & WELLNESS,
Wellness, march
March 2015
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HEALTH&
&WELLNESS,
WELLNESS,MARCH
March 2015
HEALTH
2015 15

Bernard A. Drew looks

into ancient Japanese medicine
Karen Clark at Blue Heron Reiki; Photo Bernard A. Drew

A New, Old Treatment

e can all do with less stress in our lives, particularly if we suffer chronic pain or anxiety,
are dealing with cancer, or are anticipating or
recovering from childbirth.
Karen Clark of Housatonic, the north village of Great
Barrington, MA, brings years of experience as a registered nurse to her new practice, Blue Heron Reiki.
Reiki is a Japanese technique, its origins a little uncertain, but todays methods are coming from a Christian educator and Buddhist monk, Mikao Usui, she
said. The concepts have roots in ancient Chinese medicine, and the concept of life force energy thought of as
chi.
Continued on page 16

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16 HEALTH
Health &
& WELLNESS,
Wellness, march
2015
16
March 2015

. . . Balancing the Life Force Energy

Continued from page 15
Mikao Usui lived in Japan
from 1865 to 1926.
The Japanese characters for
Reiki translate as universal
life force energy, she said,
elaborating, Its an Eastern
concept of energy flowing
through pathways in our bodies somewhat like we think
of blood flowing through our
veins.
For the Chinese, Reiki addresses energy channels in the
body. The Indian philosophy
is a little different, based on
energy centers or chakras.
All living things have a life

force energy that can get out

of balance, blocked or diminished, Clark said. When that
happens, a persons energy
weakens and they are more
susceptible to not feeling well
or having a harder time recovering from surgery or injury.
Explained another way, Reiki
is a gentle hands-on energy
technique for stress reduction,
relaxation and healing.
Born in Schenectady, N.Y.,
Clark spent her high school
years in Pittsfield, MA, where
her father was director of the
Berkshire County Historical
Society. She was a labor and delivery nurse for 13 years, then

went back to school to become

a nurse midwife for five years.
Moving back to the Berkshires
with her architect husband and
their family, she went into the
field of nursing management.
She was director of maternity
and pediatrics at Berkshire
Medical Center in Pittsfield
for six years, then director of
maternity at Sharon Hospital
until August 2013.
Long interested in how other
cultures deal with health or
disease, she has gone through
two levels of Reiki training
to qualify her to work with
clients. The third level is for
those who want to teach Reiki.

She is a member of the International Association of Reiki

Professionals.
Clients come for a variety of
purposes, the Reiki practitioner said. Stress is a big one.
Reiki, by improving energy
flow, provides relaxation and
reduces stress.
Some have chronic aches
and pain. Reiki can help reduce that by dealing with
blockages at the site of the
pain, and relieving the tension
that aggravates the pain.
Clark said Reiki works to
some extent for everyone
including children and
animals. For mothers post-

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HEALTH
HEALTH&&WELLNESS,
WELLNESS,MARCH
March 2015
2015 17

Like Acupuncture, but Without Needles

Karen Clark at work; Photo: Bernard A. Drew

partum, it can help the body

adjust physically and emotionally to a new life, and to interruptions of sleep.
The nice thing is, it works
through energy channels
much like acupuncture, only
there are no needles, just
hands on, she said.
Or, if the client prefers,
hands hovering just above the
body. Second level practitioners also visualize Japanese
character symbols to enhance
the channeling of energy.
Reiki can help cancer patients deal with the side effects
Continued on page 18

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18 Health
2015
HEALTH & Wellness,
WELLNESS, march
March 2015

YOGA
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For over 10 years,

sharing the joy of yoga
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. . . And, Finally,
Creating a Turning Point
Continued from page 17
of chemo treatments or radiation that are trying to eradicate
the cancer. Reiki works to strengthen the bodys healthy
parts, Clark said. She stressed Reiki is not a substitute for
traditional medical care, but can be a great complementary
therapy.
Most clients lie, fully clothed, on the massage table in the
Blue Heron Studio. (House visits may be arranged.) Some
are more comfortable sitting in a chair or wheelchair. A
typical treatment lasts an hour. Frequency of treatment varies.
There are several hand placements on the head, over the
eyes and face, on the top of the head, ears, back of head and
jaw.
Soft music plays in the background during treatment.
Clients may converse with the practitioner or rest quietly as
she works down to the upper chest and heart area, the abdomen, the knees and ankles. Sometimes people become so
relaxed they fall asleep. If they are able, they roll onto their
stomachs for a repeat on that side of the body.
Because it is energy, Clark said, it can flow freely. The
hand placements dont have to be on the exact spot for it to
work. However, hand placements on a stressed area may be
experienced as heat to both client and practitioner.
Most patients feel the warmth, some dont, which doesnt
mean its not working, they just dont feel it the same.
She can work on a specific body area, but strongly believes
in a holistic approach, considering all of the body as being
connected.
One client told Clark she has the ability to bring a warm
healing touch in a way that helps me feel my energies centered in a new way.
Another, following a breast cancer diagnosis, said it provided a turning point as Karens touch brought me back
into myself, able to gather the inner strength I needed to
move forward with my cancer treatment.
Clarks business takes its name from a bird seen frequently flying within view of her home, gliding over the Housatonic River. One day she saw it fly out from under a bridge,
its long legs in balance, its flight stately and she adopted
it for her studio.
Clark can be reached by telephone, 413-717-0878, or by
email, blueheronreiki2@gmail.com. The website is www.
blueheronreiki.com.

HEALTH&&WELLNESS,
WELLNESS,MARCH
March 2015
HEALTH
2015 19

Marsden Epworth looks at

changes in providing health care

Smile!

Smile!

Rachel Tantri at work; Photo: Marsden Epworth

Making Health Care Work

achel Tantri, a wiry, animated young woman in a

blue dress, dangly earrings, a stethoscope over one
shoulder and no white coat, leans forward, asking a
patient at Hudson River HealthCare in Amenia, NY,
Have you had chest pain? Are you controlling your blood
Dr. Mark A. Colite & Dr. William H. Zovickian
sugar? When did you last see an eye doctor? OK lets
listen to yourSaturday
heart. Because
the patient is new to her, and
Hours Available New Patients
because his care is fairly complex, the two are alotted 30
Welcome Submit to All Insurane Plans
minutes together.
On this occasion. Next time, probably 15.
Tantri is a nurse practitioner. Thats a registered nurse
Continued on page 20

SHARON DENTAL
ASSOCIATES
Dr. Mark A. Colite & Dr. William H. Zovickian
57 Main Street | (860) 364-0204 | SharonDentalAssociates.com

20
2015
20 Health
HEALTH &
& Wellness,
WELLNESS, march
March 2015

. . . . How To Control Costs

And Treat Everyone Who Needs Care
with advanced training a Master of Science degree with, in
Tantris case, a specialty
in family practice. In
academic speak she is
an MSN, APRN. (She
also has a BA in English
from Oberlin College,
which she finds useful
in medicine: Writing
skills help.)
That medical training
means Tantri, in New
York (it varies state to
state), can diagnose and
treat patients, prescribe
drugs, function without

supervision and do what

many physicians do.
Clearly, medicine is
changing in America:
The pressure to put a lid
on the spiraling costs of
health care is up against
the drive to make
health care available to
everyone.
So, efficiencies rule:
Hospitalists are taking the place of admitted patients regular
caregivers; insurance
companies and medical
administrators can limit
severely and strictly

how much time patients

get with their health
providers; insurers can
limit treatment and
medications in the interest of sticking to best
practices, all with the
goal of making American medicine efficient,
accountable and affordable.
We are in a big transition, she tells me. Its
not a house-call world
anymore. And its not
a providers spend-asmuch-time-with-a-patient-as-they-like world

either.
Administrators at the
Hudson River HealthCare practice in Amenia, NY, track, from
time to time, the minutes a patient spends at
the clinic from walking
in the door to walking
out again. Its called
cycle time, and the
day I was there, notes
on a white board in
reception recorded who
was keeping up with the
schedule.
Everyone was.
So medicine is chang-

ing. And nurse practitioners are part of that

change.
With briefer training,
they are paid less than
physicians doing similar
work. At the same time,
the patient is charged
the same fees at HRHCare for both, but the
insurance companies
reimburse the work of
nurse practitioners at a
lower rate than they do
for M.D.s.
Salary figures online
for M.D.s and nurse
practitioners are all

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Health
HEALTH&&Wellness,
WELLNESS,March
March 2015
2015 21

. . . And Finding Time for It All

over the place, but
according to a 2012
Medscape survey, family physicians earn on
average $158,000 annually. Tantris estimate
of nurse practitioner
salaries in this rural
area runs from roughly
$70,000 to $90,000 a
year, depending on education, specialty, location and experience.
And not only do nurse
practitioners cost less,
they can step in where
there are not enough

M.D.s to cover an area,

or the doctors are unwilling to take patients
on Medicaid.
Another plus in getting health care from an
R.N. is the kind of training nurses get.
Theres an emphasis on connecting with
people and listening,
which is an important
part of nursing education, Tantri says.
In short: bedside manner.
I have respect for

what people are up

against and I work from
a place of compassion,
she says.
And her education
continues.
I dont need to go
back to school to keep
learning. I learn from
my patients and colleagues. I function
independently, but I
have many collaborators. I work with a team.
Its impossible to do
everything by yourself
in medicine. You need

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to draw on the experience of people in different fields, which is why

she chose to work in a
group practice with a
broad range of medical
services.
Still, the challenge
of limited time with
patients is considerable
and irksome. I address
something in one visit
and something else in
the next. And one more
thing: I never like to
accept the idea, There is
no money for that. p

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HEALTH&
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WELLNESS,march
March 2015
22
2015

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Health
HEALTH&&Wellness,
WELLNESS,March
March 2015
2015 23

Gabriel Napoleon talks to

Emma Dweck about her new
acupuncture business

A Holistic Health Practice

Opens in Millerton

mma K. Dweck opened Millerton Acupuncture at 1

John St. in Millerton, NY, last month.
It marks Dwecks first independent venture in the
practice, following her work at Millbrook Acupuncture
and her training at the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture in Gainesville, FL. She is a licensed acupuncturist now, and ready to get to work in the village.
Dweck comes from a background of health care practitioners. Her mother, Karen Kisslinger, was an acupuncturist before passing away in 2009; her father, Robert Dweck,
is a family physician at Hudson River HealthCare in
Amenia.
I wanted to be in Millerton because I grew up there,
Dweck said. I love being in Millerton, and people are
very interested and curious about acupuncture.
Theres not so much holistic health care happening in
the area, she added.
Dweck said she always knew she wanted to work one-onone with people and decided to go to acupuncture school
because she was an acupuncture patient herself.
She described the field as a perfect blend of the medical, emotional and spiritual.
Thats the beautiful thing about Chinese medicine, it
encompasses all those things, she said.
On starting her own business, Dweck said that shes creating an entity in Millerton.
Which is cool. Its sort of an exciting challenge.
Dweck aims to offer educational programs through her
business and has established a scholarship fund in her
mothers memory at www.karenkisslinger.com.

For information, go to emmadweck.com or call

845-605-2707. To schedule an appointment, email acupuncture@emmadweck.com. An initial in-person consultation
is free.

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HEALTH & Wellness,

WELLNESS, march
March 2015
24 Health
2015

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