Spreading Christmas Cheer at ACH Community Care Center

Alliance, Ohio – Christmas came five days early at Alliance Community Hospital’s (ACH) Community Care Center (CCC).

On Friday, December 20^th, CCC residents, patients and family members filled the dining room for the annual CCC Christmas Party! Musical entertainment was provided by John King, who performed covers of modern country songs, as residents and staff danced. While it was not the traditional Christmas party many would expect, the atmosphere was energized and fun for all in attendance. Holiday refreshments were prepared by the ACH Nutritional Services Department.

The festivities were made even more special when Santa Claus made a surprise guest appearance! He spread holiday cheer and good wishes for the New Year as he greeted each party-goer. All of the children were invited to share their Christmas wishes with Santa and had the opportunity to have their picture taken. Then Santa presented each child with some early Christmas presents.

But the children weren’t the only ones on Santa’s nice list this year! With help from the CCC staff, Santa handed out presents to each of the residents and patients.

“The staff members of the Community Care Center and Alliance Community Hospital are so kind and generous to our residents; they provide the majority of the presents Santa handed out,” said Lori Underwood, CCC Activity Director. “Every resident and patient at CCC received several gifts. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year!”

The CommunityCareCenter is a 68-bed, extended-care facility that provides a home-like atmosphere and a competent and caring staff to its patients and residents. For more information about the services available at The Community Care Center or Alliance Community Hospital go to www.achosp.org , like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to learn more about the true stories of extraordinary, compassionate care that make Alliance Community Hospital the most patient-centered facility in the state of Ohio.

Lori Underwood, CCC Activity Director, hands Santa a present for one of the CCC residents during the party.

Merry Christmas

Wishing our patients, families and colleagues a very Merry Christmas!

ACh Auxiliary holds annual Memory Tree of Lights event

Have you seen the Auxiliary Memory Tree in our lobby? Learn more about the significance and tradition of the tree in this article, which appeared in today’s Alliance Review.

Hope for Hyperbaric Healing

The following article appeared in today’s Alliance Review.

Published by: Shannon Harsh, Alliance Review

November 27, 2013 at 3:00 AM

Photo by: Kevin Graff, Alliance Review

Hope for Hyperbaric Healing – Out-of-state visitor is first participant in clinical trial in ACH’s Wound Care & Hyperbarics department

Review Photo/Kevin Graff

Becoming better balanced

The following article appeared in today’s Alliance Review.

Published by: Shannon Harsh, Alliance Review

November 20, 2013 at 3:00 AM

Photos by: Gayle Agnew, Alliance Review

Becoming better balanced – ACH physical therapist shares information on balance training

National Memory Screening Day Coming to ACH on November 19th

The following Press Release appeared in today’s Alliance Review.

As part of National Memory Screening Day, an annual initiative of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), Alliance Community Hospital (ACH) will offer free, confidential memory screenings on Nov. 19. Screenings will be held from 8 a.m. to noon. at ACH (200 E. State St., Alliance). Appointments are recommended and can be made by calling the Public Relations Department at 330-596-7575. (Screenings are held in 30 minute increments.) Diabetes and bone density screenings will also be offered during these times. Light refreshments will be available.

Qualified health care professionals will administer the memory screenings and provide educational materials about memory concerns, brain health and caregiving. The face-to-face screenings consist of a series of questions and tasks, and take five to 10 minutes to administer.

AFA suggests memory screenings for anyone concerned about memory loss or experiencing warning signs of dementia; whose family and friends have noticed changes in them; who believe they are at risk due to a family history of dementia; or who want to see how their memory is now and for future comparisons.

Screeners emphasize that results are not a diagnosis, and encourage individuals who score poorly as well as those who still have concerns to pursue a full medical examination.

Such screenings are becoming increasingly important as the number of Baby Boomers turning age 65–the at-risk age group for Alzheimer’s disease–continues to climb. The federal government’s historic “National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease” urges a greater emphasis on both early diagnosis and education about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

However, an AFA survey of 2010 National Memory Screening Day participants found that 92 percent of those polled had never been given a screening by their primary health care provider; and 83 percent who were worried about their memory had not discussed their concerns with a health care provider.

“Brain health should be on everyone’s radar screen, especially as you age. Memory screenings are a first but critical step toward finding out where you stand now and what additional steps you might need to take,” said Carol Steinberg, president of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

Some memory problems, like those caused by vitamin deficiencies or thyroid issues, are readily treatable and even curable. Others might be due to Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, early intervention can improve the quality of an individual’s life; available medications may help slow progression of symptoms and diagnosed individuals can more readily participate in long-term care planning.

Warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease include forgetting people’s names and events, asking repetitive questions, loss of verbal or written skills, confusion and personality changes.

Dubbed by many as a “silver tsunami,” the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to triple to 13.8 million by mid-century. Advanced age is the greatest known risk factor for the disease, which results in loss of memory and other intellectual functions, and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

For more information about National Memory Screening Day, call 866-232-8484 or visit http://www.nationalmemoryscreening.org.

Dr. Amber Somerville, OB/GYN, joins the Alliance Community Hospital staff.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Amber Somerville, OB/GYN, to the Alliance Community Hospital staff. The following article appeared in today’s Alliance Review.

Published by: Shannon Harsh, Alliance Review

November 6, 2013 at 3:00 AM

Photo by: Kevin Graff, Alliance Review

Alliance Community Hospital recently welcomed a new doctor to the team with the addition of obstetrician/gynecologist Amber Somerville, M.D.

Somerville, who grew up in Mogadore and lives in Green with her husband, Justin, joins Drs. Craig O’Dear and David Robinson at Alliance Obstetrics Inc., replacing Dr. Kwame Amponsah who returned to New Jersey after being on staff at Alliance since 2011.

“Dr. O’Dear and Dr. Robinson are great doctors and I’m really glad to work with them. They definitely have a good reputation in the community and they’re super busy, so it’ll be a really good practice to be with,” Somerville said. “Hopefully I can fill Dr. Amponsah’s footsteps because it seems like he was pretty well liked as well.”

Somerville graduated from Kent State University and NEOUCOM (now NEOMED) in Rootstown. She did her internship with Akron General Medical Center and spent four years in residency at Aultman Hospital, where she delivered more than 800 babies, including more than 20 sets of twins and even some triplets.

She said she chose OB/GYN while in medical school doing her rotations because it seemed to fit. “It’s fun delivering babies and being part of people’s lives,” she said of the specialty. “I liked (obstetrics) because you get to do a little bit of everything. You get to do surgery; you get to deliver babies; you get to be in the office; and you get to know your patients for a long time, which is nice.”

Somerville, who is now a veteran at delivering babies, called her first delivery in medical school fun but scary. She said though she is used to it now, births are still exciting because each one is different.

“I love when the dads are there and they cry, and I think it’s exciting when people don’t know what (gender) they’re having and they get to find out if it’s a boy or girl in the delivery room,” she said.

Somerville said her favorite part of her job is delivering babies for people she regularly sees in the office and has gotten a chance to really know.

She said the most difficult part is when people don’t have a good outcome with their pregnancies. “It’s really hard because you go from the happiest day of people’s lives to the absolute worst day of their lives. That’s definitely difficult,” she explained.

Somerville began to see patients Oct. 16 at the office located in the hospital’s Professional Office Building, 270 E. State St., Suite G100.

While they weren’t specifically looking for a female doctor, ACH public relations specialist Samantha Phillips said patients often ask if there is a female OB/GYN available, so the addition of Somerville now gives patients that new option. “You recruit the best doctor and she just happened to be female, so that worked out in our favor,” Phillips added.

For more information, call Alliance Obstetrics at 330-821-4869 or visit http://www.achosp.org.

@SHarsh_AR on Twitter

Halloween Safety Tips

Help keep your neighborhood’s ghosts and goblins safe this Halloween!!

Fall into Good Health – Free diabetes community seminar

9:00 AM – “Healthy Eating Out” Presented by Yvette Graham, LISW-S – Extension Program Specialist, EFNEP

10:15 AM – “Healthy Feet” Presented by Allan Cao, DPM – ACH Resident Podiatrist

11:00 AM – “Know Your Numbers” Presented by Connie Altomare, MLIS, MA, RN, CCA, CDE

Nutritional needs change as we age

 The following article appeared in today’s Alliance Review.

Nutritional needs change with age (click to read the full article)

By: Mallory Evans, Published September 5, 2013 at 3:00 AM

Review Photo/ Kevin Graff
Registered and licensed dietitian, Dawn Wagner, takes age and physical condition into account as she plans meals for patients at Alliance Community Hospital. As seniors continue to age, their nutritional needs change.