Take a Sneak Peek

It’s time to plan your bidding strategy for Saturday’s Autumn Dinner. Here’s a taste of some auction items to whet your appetite. But you’ve gotta be in it to win it.

Date Night for a Year!
Has Date Night fallen off your calendar? it’s time to reclaim your couple time with a dinner date each month for a year. This package includes gift certificates to 11 of Ridgefield’s best restaurants, movie night at The Prospector Theater, and an overnight getaway at the new Hotel Zero Degrees in Danbury, including a romantic dinner and breakfast for two. No need to go far to get away!

Loon Mountain, NH Ski Getaway
One-week stay at the InnSeason Resorts –New Hampshire’s only Five-Star condominium resort — from February 15-22, 2019. Two-bedroom suite sleeps 6 and comes complete with a kitchen, whirlpool bath, and complimentary shuttle to and from Loon Mountain for some of the best skiing in the East. Includes access to the resort fitness center, indoor swimming pools, sauna and game room. There’s something for everyone!

Catered Dinner by Chef Nancy Burke
Chef Nancy Burke, certified caterer from the Culinary Institute of America and former proprietor of Ridgefield’s popular eatery, Thirty-Three & 1/3, will cook dinner for 10 in the intimacy of your home. Package includes a $100 gift certificate to Ancona’s Wines & Liquors and consultation with their Wine Director to help you choose wine for your meal.

Broadway Night in Ridgefield
Experience Broadway in Ridgefield with two tickets to the performance of Evita at ACT of Connecticut on Saturday, November 3. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Evita is a seven-time Tony Award winning musical about Argentina’s Eva Perón. Make a day of it with a spa treatment and bistro dinner /drinks before the show. Package includes 2 tickets to Evita and 2 glasses of wine at the theater; a $290 gift certificate for a spa treatment at Adam Broderick Salon & Spa; and a $100 gift certificate to Sarah’s Wine Bar.

Caps and Corks Pull
Pull a fine one – or a frothy one – in the Caps and Corks Pull sponsored by Ancona’s Wines & Liquors and featuring their hand-picked selection of wines and beers. The Corks wine pull includes a range of vintages from across the globe representing a variety of grapes and styles. The Caps craft beer pull features combination 4-packs including the freshest, original brews from hoppy to spicy and everything in between. No two wines are the same and the 4-packs are original combinations featuring four distinct beers.

Every industry and field has its rock stars — experts who move the field forward and help define its progress and direction. People without whom the world would be a different place.

Dr. Steven Phillips is one of these people, a true authority — and hero — in the world of tick-borne diseases and Lyme Disease.  And lucky for us in Connecticut, Dr. Phillips is local.

His work and research take him far afield, but Dr. Phillips practices in Wilton, CT and on Thursday, September 20 at 7:00pm, RVNA and the Lyme Connection have the privilege of hosting Dr. Phillips at Lyme Disease: News You Need to Know.   The evening will feature an overview on Lyme; important information on diagnosis, testing, treatments, and recognizing the different symptom presentations; as well as meaningful direction for getting the help you need. Dr. Phillips will also provide an update on current treatment protocols and a glimpse into his current research.

Whether your life has been impacted by Lyme disease, and you understand its power and scourge, or you are fortunate enough to remain unscathed, this is an opportunity to meet and hear a foremost Lyme Disease expert and leave educated and informed.  That’s never a bad thing.

This event is free and open to the public.

Lyme Disease: News You Need to Know is taking place at RVNA, 27 Governor Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877 on Thursday, September 20 at 7:00pm.

* For additional convenience, RVNAhealth will be offering flu and pneumonia shots to interested attendees from 4:00pm – 6:30pm in advance of the evening’s event. Please call 203-438-5555 if you would like to receive your immunization this evening.

If you’ve ever planned a large party or event, you know the onslaught of details and tasks that occupy the final days before everything falls right into place. It’s inevitable. RVNAhealth Development Associate, Joanna Roche, knows all about this — especially this week as the RVNAhealth philanthropy team puts the finishing touches on this Saturday’s Autumn Dinner.

Nonetheless, Joanna, a true team player, took time from her busy and varied day to share her story.  Read on … it’s a good one.

Where did you grow up and where do you reside now?
I was fortunate to have had a very enriching childhood. I was born in Paris and from there lived in Venezuela, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Malaysia. At the age of 18, I had the opportunity to work and live in New York. After that, my life took a dramatic turn. After many flights across the Atlantic, between London and New York, my future husband brought me back to the States. Some 27 years later, I currently reside in the tiny rural town of Sherman, CT.

What brought you to RVNA?
A change of career! My husband and I founded a small media communications agency. After 18 successful years running our own business, it became time for me to find my own career path. An acquaintance spoke highly of RVNAhealth and encouraged me to apply for a job in the Development office. I soon realized I had found my calling working in Development and Fundraising.

What is your role at RVNA?
I am a Development Associate, providing support to MJ Heller, Director of Philanthropy and Alice Meenan, Director of Donor Relations. I assist with donor cultivation, acquisition of new donors, donor retention, and I solicit donations through fundraising events, mailings and direct donor engagement. I also coordinate the execution of annual fund appeals, manage/maintain our donor database, and prepare daily correspondence to thank our donors, and keep the department organized and on track!

How long have you worked at RVNA?
I joined RVNAhealth three and a half years ago in February 2015.

What is your favorite part of your job?
I really enjoy developing and maintaining donor relationships. This requires reaching out to donors thanking them for their donations. A phone call usually leads to why they support RVNAhealth and I hear their gratitude for the wonderful care they receive from our clinicians and caregivers and how they deeply value RVNAhealth and our mission.  At RVNA, our donors are also partners and friends and that makes my role a very nice one.

Did you ever consider being a nurse?
No, but I really admire those that have chosen this profession.

What do you love to do when you’re not working?
I love relaxing at home, taking my dog for a walk, seeing friends, going out to a great restaurant.

What is your hidden talent?
Hmmm that’s a tough one – I have a knack for remembering strings of numbers, like credit card numbers and phone numbers. Odd but true!

What would you do if you won the lottery?
Travel the world. Have another home in England to spend more time with my family, and maybe a villa in France or Italy that produces wine.

Do you have a favorite RVNAhealth moment or story?
I do. I have an absolutely fabulous RVNAhealth story to share, but you’ll have to come to the Autumn Dinner this Saturday to hear it.  You’re going to love it!

Reliance Merchant Services, Reli-Bid and Mary Kate Gobleck…..

Good Things Come in Threes!

Part of what makes it possible for RVNA to enrich the lives of the communities and individuals we serve every day is the strength of our supporters, sponsors, and partner relationships. Beyond their financial contributions, it is their gifts of time and expertise that truly make a difference. Reliance Merchant Services and its subsidiary, Reli-Bid LLC, are certainly no exceptions.

Founded in 2004, Reliance Merchant Services provides credit and debit card processing to businesses of all sizes in Fairfield, Westchester and New Haven counties and beyond.  It’s subsidiary, Reli-Bid, offers event and fundraising packages for non-profit organizations like RVNA. Auction management, ticket sales, on-sight payment processing, and a mobile bidding platform are all part of the offerings designed to increase revenues at fundraising events.

A long-time client of Reliance Merchant Services, RVNAhealth will be using Reli-Bid at our upcoming Autumn Dinner on September 15^th.  This year’s event returns to Silver Spring Country Club and will build upon the fun and success of the 2017 dinner with a casual feel and organic theme, plus the added bonus of mobile bidding! A mix of contemporary and traditional bidding and payment options will be available to guests, with Reli-Bid facilitating the whole process.

“Reliance Merchant Services President Mary Kate Gobleck is deeply committed to her community and feels very strongly about giving back with time and charity,” says MJ Heller, RVNAhealth Director of Philanthropy.  “Her commemorative bench, a contribution made in support of our capital campaign, honors her parents and is situated on the pathway that winds around RVNAhealth’s headquarters on Governor Street – a testament to her personal philanthropy.”

Gobleck volunteers on RVNA’s Development Committee and was a mastermind in the creation of our Governor Society, an opportunity for loyal business donors to structure their annual contributions in a way that is particularly meaningful to them as individuals and naturally aligned with their business offerings.  Gobleck has served up drinks to benefit RVNAhealth at RVNAhealth’s Celebrity Bartender Night, hosted by Gallo Ristorante, and has frequently hosted a table of personal guests at RVNA’s annual Spring Breakfast fundraising event.

“We’re grateful to Mary Kate for her assistance to ensure the success of our Autumn Dinner and her generosity to RVNAhealth as a whole,” adds Heller. “It’s difficult to describe just how much dedicated supporters like her mean to the fulfillment of our mission.”

It’s Not a Laughing Matter… Or is it?

We’ve all heard laughter is the best medicine. That’s patently clear in “A Man and His Prostate,” a one-man show starring Ed Asner that chronicles the true story of a man (in this case, the playwright himself, Ed Weinberger) who has a prostate attack and emergency surgery while on vacation in Italy. Much of the humor comes from the main character’s need to pantomime his very personal symptoms to a doctor who didn’t speak English. The rest comes from Asner’s inimitable characterization of a curmudgeon who isn’t about to take this lying down.

All kidding aside, the startling reality behind the comedy is that, other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, with a man dying from the disease in the U.S. every 16 minutes. While a sense of humor and positive attitude are important when facing any serious health concern, it’s even more important to be an active and informed participant in your own healthcare.

“You are your own best advocate,” says RVNAhealth Director of Nursing Services, John Apinis. “Particularly as we get older, it’s critical to pay attention to our health, have regular check-ups, and speak up when something doesn’t seem right. This is the single best thing you can do to prevent conditions from becoming too serious before they’re caught,” he adds.

While A Man and His Prostate takes a comedic approach, serious realities are woven in, including a tribute to well-known men who have suffered from the disease. The play seeks to strip away the embarrassment of talking about the issue and remind men and their loved ones that getting screened isn’t an option, it’s a necessity.

For more information or tickets, visit the Ridgefield Playhouse. 

Infections are frightening – just ask anyone with an imminent surgery, joint replacement, or hospital stay, and many will tell you their biggest concern is developing an infection while there.

And their fear is not unwarranted.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 25 patients will have at least one infection following their hospital stay.  Also known as HAIs (healthcare-acquired infections), many infections are the result of germs picked up during a hospital stay, resulting in issues such as pneumonia, gastrointestinal illness, or sepsis.  The tricky part …  HAIs aren’t necessarily revealed at the hospital; they can develop as much as a week or month after going home.

Which means both you, and your home health care team, need to be especially vigilant.

RVNAhealth home health nurses, therapists, and aides — who treat patients following discharge from a hospital or facility — are highly-skilled and trained in assessing for infections and administering appropriate interventions when appropriate. They monitor patients at every visit, testing for fever, tracking wounds that aren’t healing, monitoring the warning signs, and referring patients to their physicians immediately if an infection is identified or suspected.

Common signs of infection include chills or generally feeling unwell; discharge at the wound or surgical site; increased pain/tenderness; and fever, particularly when combined with increased swelling, redness, and warmth at the site.

All RVNAhealth clinicians also practice “universal precautions” for infection control and prevention— hand washing, glove wearing, and the rigorous protocols added when treating a patient with a wound.

While most infections can be treated successfully with antibiotics if identified early, it’s important to understand that, as a healthcare consumer, you must also be your own best advocate. Monitor the signs of infection; keep all follow-up appointments after returning home from the hospital; and don’t be afraid to speak up if your healthcare personnel aren’t following universal precautions when administering treatment.

Infections are frightening, but they are neither inevitable nor untreatable. Your best defense is a good offense: remember the signs, advocate for yourself and, when possible, return home from the hospital or facility as soon as possible with an excellent home health agency. One like RVNA.

If you want something done — quickly and right — go to Deb Trevelin. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to Deb.

Not only did she complete her RVNAhealth Staffer of the Week questionnaire in record time, Deb brings pragmatism, professionalism, and a clever wit to her work and life.  Plus, this Director of Finance knows how to relax and have fun.

Read on …

Where did you grow up and where do you reside now? I grew up in Seymour. I lived in Hamden and Wallingford, and now live again in Seymour.

What brought you to RVNA? I was looking for a new job and interviewed with Theresa [Santoro, President & CEO] and others.  I liked the atmosphere and felt it would be a good fit.

What is your role at RVNA? Director of Finance.

How long have you worked at RVNA? It will be 5 years in January.

What is your favorite part of your job? I like interacting with employees in all different departments and levels of the organization and functional areas. In finance we do not often see what is happening in the field… the interaction is our eyes and ears. Helps put the pieces together as we operate as a whole.

Did you ever consider being a nurse?

Yes I did ..  my Mom was a nurse and  two of my Aunts were nurses. I thought that was the direction I should go, but at the last minute I decided to go to St. Michael’s College in Vermont.  Funny thing is that I have spent my entire career in healthcare — just on the finance side.

What do you love to do when you’re not working?

I love to golf.  I belong a national league, the LPGA Amateur Golf League (formerly EWGA).  I have golfed with the same group of women since 2005.  We have a lot of laughs both on and off the course. We don’t take ourselves too seriously; none of us are going pro anytime soon!!  I kickbox. I love the beach. There is nothing better than to spend the day at the beach.  I read, I walk, I swim … I repeat. And sometimes I just watch the sun move across the sky. I love to spend time with my sisters, nieces, and grandnephews. They can always make me smile. I also like going to concerts.  I love live music.

What is your hidden talent? I can fix anything with a zip tie and some duct tape.  My family refers to me as MacGyver…

What would you do if you won the lottery? Probably buy a house right on the water … walk down stairs to get to the beach.  Travel. Golf. Live!

Do you have a favorite RVNAhealth moment or story? Watching the new building being built … we could see the progress each day… and then being able to move in.

To know Clint is to love Clint. Just ask his colleagues. Or his in-home physical therapy patients .. who are happy to recover in his capable hands, but sad when his visits end.  Indeed, tears have been shed at discharge.

Humble. Smart. Dedicated. A great listener with a nice little sense of humor.  These are just a few of the things Clint Layog’s colleagues say about him.

Clint works with skilled hands as a physical therapist, and he’s handy with his hobbies, as well.  Meet Clint …

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I grew up in the Philippines and moved to the US with the help of family and friends after college. I currently live in Danbury.

How long have you been at RVNA?
I’ve been with the organization for about 5 years.

What brought you here?
I was looking for a change and heard about what a wonderful organization RVNAhealth was. I started as part-time, but eventually transitioned to full-time.

What is your favorite part of your job?
I work with very talented co-workers who love what they do.

If you weren’t a physical therapist, what would you be?
I’d probably still work in healthcare in some way.

What do you love to do when you’re not working and what is your hidden talent?
Besides spending time with my wife and kids, I like to work with cars and do some light carpentry. That’s probably my hidden talent – being a mechanic or carpenter. But, I have an uncle who is my lifeline if I mess up a job. I hope to be able to work on my roof… one of these days!

What would you do if you won the lottery?
Hmmm…. I honestly don’t know. Maybe take it one day at a time and see how it goes.

Do you have a favorite RVNAhealth moment or story?
I don’t have a favorite story, but it gets me every time a client says, “thank you.”

Most of us don’t worry — or even think about — home healthcare until we or a family member needs it. Then we scramble and make the best choice we can at a critical time.

Since that’s not typically the best route to quality care, here is a brief primer on the topic.

What It Is
Home healthcare refers to the clinical care one receives at home following a stay in a hospital or facility or after an episode, illness, or injury. It is intended to aid recovery and prevent relapse. Home healthcare providers may include skilled nurses; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; and home health aides.

How It Works
Prior to discharge from a hospital or facility, or after an episode or injury, you will be prescribed Home Health services if you are temporarily homebound and require additional clinical attention. You may be referred by your physician, the hospital, or you may contact a home health agency directly to initiate services. Even if you don’t like the idea of visitors in your home, it’s wise to accept and utilize the available services. They will make a difference in your recovery.

At a hospital/facility, case managers are required to provide you with a choice of available agencies. They must not make the decision for you. You will have many agencies to choose from and it can be bewildering. That’s why it’s good to be informed in advance.

What to Look For
You will want exceptional clinical service and reliability. Medicare-certified agencies meet rigorous standards of quality. Also look for 7-day-a-week and prompt start of care, low re-hospitalization rate, and a range of services to support your evolving needs. Word-of-mouth recommendations are also meaningful. The agency you choose will determine the quality of care you receive.

With a century-old tradition of delivering exceptional care and services, RVNAhealth is an excellent home health choice. If you choose RVNA, be certain to ask for us by name.  Or better yet, call us yourself.  RVNAhealth is truly your VNA. To learn more, visit rvnahealth.org or call 203-438-5555.