Coalition Forming To Address Our Troubling Suicide Rate

With the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reporting that suicides outnumbered homicides by 6 to 1 on the Cape and Islands over the last five years, the Cape and Islands Community Health Network Area (CHNA) has announced the formation of a new organization to raise public awareness of this worrisome problem.

The Cape and Islands Suicide Prevention Coalition recently requested a capacity building grant from the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention. If funded, this grant will help the Coalition get off the ground by working towards creating a coordinated framework for providing education, training, and prevention. In the coming year the Coalition plans to recruit partners and work in collaboration with a wide range of organizations and groups with the goal of creating a broad-based community coalition for suicide prevention on Cape Cod and the Islands.

Studies have shown that suicide is preventable. The need to raise awareness of the problem, reduce the risk factors associated with suicide and increase protective factors is critical due to the high number of suicides in the region.

Those interested in getting involved in this community effort may call Beth Albert at the Barnstable County Department of Human Services at 508-375-6626 or Tim Lineaweaver at the Community Health Center of Cape Cod, 508-477-7090.

Regulation Parity Ordered For Stand-Alone Surgeries

For some time, acute care hospitals have complained that stand-alone surgery centers have been siphoning off revenue because fewer regulatory requirements allowed them to charge lesser fees. But now acute care hospitals have received at least one bit of financial good news in troubling times.

Late last year, the state’s Public Health Council approved regulations requiring that these surgery centers—most run by physicians—must meet many of the same guidelines as hospitals. They have to prove they won’t duplicate existing services, they must be open 24 hours a day and they cannot deny services based on inability to pay.

Cape Cod Healthcare hailed the new regulations. In a statement, they declared, “We are in favor of anything that would level the playing field, so these tighter regulations make sense. We support regulations that require anyone doing surgery within or out of the hospital to conform to the same rules and regulations that are applied to the hospital.”

This New Business Offers Cape Codders Medically-Trained Traveling Companion

By Jean M. Roma, MSN, APRN-BC

I conceived Live Life to the Fullest after spending years trying to meet the needs of elderly and disabled family members. Balancing work with taking a loved one to family reunions, weddings, vacations, and those other occasions that bring joy to people’s lives proved quite a challenge. Over the years I realized I was not alone. Many other members of the community face the same dilemma.

I had worked for The Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod for 20 years. When I had the opportunity to take advantage of Cape Cod Healthcare’s early retirement plan, I realized I now had the time to open my own business and share my unique professional knowledge along with my personal family experience.

My goal is to help those who might either need an extra trained medical hand—or at least the confidence to know that one is available—to, literally, Live Life to the Fullest and continue to travel. Some of the situations where I can be of assistance include:

• Traveling to your winter residence or to visit family members, including getting to the airport, the check-in process and security, flying beside you on the airplane, renting a car and driving you to your destination;
• Staying with you at your winter residence for as little as one day, or up to two weeks to help arrange outside assistance if it’s needed, and establishing a comfort level for independent living. This could range from shopping and appointments to negotiating the golf course and lining up medical and social services support;
• Transportation and assistance to attend family or other special events, such as reunions, weddings and graduations;
• Accompanying you on those vacations you would like to take, but are not comfortable doing so without some assistance.

 (Ms. Roma may be reached at www.coastaltravelescort.com or 508-428-2594.)