FEBRUARY 2022
LET’S DO SOMETHING FUN...
My wife Sandra and I were talking to our son Blake the other day, and this was his exact quote: “Let’s do something fun.” We weren’t sure what he meant so we started asking questions.
“What are you thinking about? What would you consider fun? Are you talking about right now or over the weekend? Are other people involved?” Blake will be 12 in June, therefore, COVID has been a part of his history for almost three years. Essentially 25% of his life. He attends a small school in West Hartford and, other than a few months of remote learning in 2020, all his classes have been able to be in person. Renbrook has taken the expected precautions of masking and distancing. They have also restricted the amount of socialization the students participate in to small cohorts. School is happening, yet it is different. Our family is vaccinated, and Sandra and I are boosted, however, we have still been cautious about activities and gatherings. Our life, like almost everyone else’s has not been “normal” in a long time. We have been open in our conversations with Blake about the challenges the pandemic has created for the entire world. As parents, we have also had a heightened awareness of his mental status. The discussion about “something fun” eventually ended up in a place that I hadn’t anticipated. I expected a trip to Disney or the latest Xbox game to be the solution to his boredom. As the conversation unfolded, Blake stated, “I just want to go to the Cheesecake Factory or Olive Garden and not worry about getting COVID.”
As I consider the dialogue with a 12-year-old, I can’t help thinking about all the “fun” or “little things” that all of us have had to modify or forgo to get to today. Looking back, it has been a long road that each of us has traveled in our own way. I’ll admit I sure hoped we would not still be living this modified life. I know we are all finding ways to manage the COVID fatigue for our families and ourselves.
IN THIS ISSUE
Clinician’s Corner by Conner Gavin, Orange Physical Therapist Blood Flow Restriction Therapy for Lower Extremity Gains in the Clinical Population HR Buzz
I am happy to see that our Wellness Program is bringing in a Mindfulness Series, to provide our people a resource and space to help with mental wellbeing at this time. The first session is scheduled for Thursday, February 24th 12 - 12:45 pm. Details are on page 9. I hope many of you will take advantage of this opportunity to learn practices to “thrive forward”, during times of change and chaos to lead to an overall healthier and better wellbeing.
Vacation Requests 401(k) Open Enrollment
As I look forward, I do so with great optimism. I believe that in 2022 our country and the world will continue moving to a place where COVID no longer dominates our lives. I have also decided that my conversations with Blake will highlight all the things we are fortunate to be able to do verses those we cannot.
Money Beat Beneficiaries Basics
I have made decision to “do something fun” more often! To participate in something for myself and family to keep balance and enjoy life. I hope you will join me! Thanks,
Alan
WELCOME TO PTSMC PUTNAM AND DANIELSON!
Patient Trends
Wellness Program Booster Shot Raffle LifeBeat - Love Your Heart this February Mindfulness Sessions for Employees
Employee Spotlight Sam Donahue, Guilford Athletic Trainer
StriveHub Fab 5
“After only 3 visits, my pain is finally subsiding with Joe (Caligiuri)’s dry needling & stretching regime. I’ve been to other PT facilities with little relief after an extended amount of time.” - Naugatuck
“Every team member is very knowledgeable, passionate about their job, caring about the client. They work as a team. Words of encouragement and compassionate with your pain level. Caring for your continued improvement. This goes from the physical therapists, assistants and includes the front desk. Thanks to all, you guys are the best!” - New Milford “Everyone over there is very professional and seem to be educated on physical therapy. Huge difference between them and other PT facilities. I'm happy with the way my time over there has been spent.” - Groton
We want to hear from you:
Paul Dinwoodie, MS, PT Lisa Guilbault, MS, PT Danielson Danielson Physical Therapist Physical Therapist
Tom Harney, PT Danielson & Putnam Director
Melani Hayes Danielson PSC
Do you still want to see the graphs for new patients and visits? To answer yes or no
Debbie Desmarais Putnam PSC
Kelli Kaliszewski, PTA Putnam Physical Therapist Assistant
Ashlee Peloquin, PTA Kyleen Sidwell, PT, DPT Putnam Putnam Physical Therapist Assistant Physical Therapist
CLICK HERE
“Everyone is friendly and listens to me. They take your concerns seriously and help you work towards relief of pain but also help you understand why you are feeling this way. I think any physical therapist can tell you what’s wrong and give you exercises, but at PTSMC they really help break down what the issue is in a way that you as the patient can understand. You can tell that all the staff cares about their patients and want to help them attain their goals.” - Waterbury “I like the staff and the personal attention. Everyone is friendly and knows your name. And of course, they work hard and are knowledgeable about their profession.” - Middletown
CLINICIAN’S CORNER
BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION THERAPY FOR LOWER EXTREMITY GAINS IN THE CLINICAL POPULATION By Conner Gavin, PT, DPT Orange Physical Therapist Blood flow restriction therapy (BFR), has been a hot topic in the fitness community in recent years due to its claims to help make strength gains in a shorter amount of time with less load and resistance. Originally discovered in the 1960s in Japan, it was not implemented in the United States for sports and therapy use until the early 2000s. In research terms, this means this topic is rather new, since it often takes a couple years for a new intervention to gain some steam and merit in the clinical world. The building evidence over the years has shown some alarming results that can be very beneficial for clinical populations. Standard recommendations to build strength through resistance exercise requires an intensity of 60–80% of an individual’s 1-repetition maximum strength. Unfortunately, this can be very difficult to achieve with clinical populations (e.g post-op precautions, weight bearing restrictions, gait and balance abnormalities, generalized weakness), forcing low load resistance training to be used. This is less effective in building muscle and improving strength.
Is it safe? • BFR may increase syncopal episodes in at risk populations. • BFR with resistance exercise may have greater effects of post exercises hypotension compared to regular resistance exercise. • Be aware of patient populations at greater risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE): major orthopedic surgery, major general surgery, lower extremity paralysis due to spinal cord injury, pelvic, hip, or long bone fractures, poly-trauma, prior DVT, pregnancy, genetic conditions that effect blood clotting and cancer. • Acute studies have not demonstrated a significant increase in blood coagulations via How exactly does it work? D-dimer and values, one of the most utilized clinical tests to rule out the presence of a By applying a tourniquet to the proximal segment of a limb, mechanical DVT, after BFR. compression can be applied that partially restricts arterial blood flow to structures • It is important to check with you patient’s surgeon for post-op patients, or PCP to distal to the cuff and impedes venous return. This results in inadequate oxygen make sure the patient is a proper candidate. Post-op patients should be off all blood supply to the muscles from restricted arterial flow and blood pooling in capillaries thinners and have LE circumferential limb measurements of relative equality to due to restricted venous flow. Muscle contractions when compressed then further non-surgical side impedes blood flow. This restriction in oxygen leads our brain to increase the release of hormones. Increased release of growth hormone helps muscle cell regeneration, • BFR should not be used in patients who have severe uncontrolled hypertension, sickle muscle cell reproduction and lipolysis, and insulin-like growth factor(IGF-1), which is cell anemia, limb infection, varicose veins, are pregnant, under the age of 12, any important for muscle and bone growth and hypertrophy. open soft tissue injury or skin graft, or tumors distal to the tourniquet Formulas and Parameters There have been many proposed calculations for use of percent occlusion and how to calculate it. Overall, there should be 40-80% total occlusion to gain maximum benefits from BFR training. To calculate this for lower extremity, a formula that is easy to do in the clinic is: Total Occlusion= .912(SBP) + .734(DBP) + 5.893(Thigh circumference in cm) -220.046
This formula gives you total occlusion. From here you can calculate 40-80% of the total. It is recommended to start on the lower end of 40% and build up to 80% as tolerated. It is important to note that reperfusion is needed every 5-10 minutes. So in between switching exercises, BFR cuffs should be deflated and reinflated to the desired pressure to prevent muscle damage and overfatigue. Recommendations for exercises and breakdown of sessions are listed below.
Recommended Use When using BFR for post-op patients, it is ok to follow recommended protocol exercises with ROM restrictions, open or closed chain restrictions, or weight bearing restrictions during use. Large compound movements incorporating as many muscle groups as possible in closed chain activity; performing various concentric, eccentric, and isometric movements; emphasizing proper form and movement patterns with adequate rest typically yields the greatest results. References:
Patterson, Stephen D., et al. “Blood Flow Restriction Exercise: Considerations of Methodology, Application, and Safety.” Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 10, 2019, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00533. Vanwye, William R, et al. “Blood Flow Restriction Training: Implementation into Clinical Practice.” International Journal of Exercise Science , vol. 10, no. 5, 1 Sept. 2017, pp. 649–654.
Want to Learn More? The PTSMC West Hartford clinic is the location for an upcoming APTA CT course: Personalized Blood Flow Restriction Rehabilitation March 5, 2022 For details and registration visit the course site: https://www.ctpt.org/ChapterEvents/eventView.asp?EventID=179 This is an “external” course and all registration is outside of PTSMC. Please see the course site for questions.
CLINICAL EXCELLENCE Upcoming Courses INTERNAL COURSES
SPONSORED COURSES
Cervicothoracic
Pelvic Health & More: Assessment and Treatment Strategies For Pelvic Pain
March 5, 2022 8:30 am - 3 pm PTSMC Wallingford Instructor: Danielle Dunn DOCS Requirement Lumbar June 4, 2022 PTSMC Location & Time TBD Instructor: Brian Greer DOCS Requirement
April 30 - May 1, 2022 PTSMC Wallingford Instructors: Michelle Nesin PT, OCS, FCFMT, FAAOMPT, and Julie Sarton PT, DPT, WCS
Myopain Dry Needling 3: Advanced
March 18-20, 2022 Quinnipiac University, North Haven Campus *Myopain DN-2 prerequisite required
Email Mallory Mason at ConEd@ptsmc.com for all sign ups or questions.
Case Discussion & Journal Club Have Moved to Teams
2021 TOP DOCUMENTOR AWARDS All clinicians are responsible for timely and compliant documentation standards. As a company, we perform internal audits to ensure all therapists are complying with these standards. This ensures we are compliant with insurance policies and support the treatment provided. Congratulations and awesome job to the clinicians below with the highest scores from 2021’s documention internal audits. Cait Ayotte, New London Meghan Blanusa, Naugatuck Joe Caliguiri, Naugatuck Miranda Jasienowski, Groton Pat Kinsella, Guilford Joe Mabry, Waterbury Quinn McAnaney, Guilford Kaitlyn Murray, Windsor Erik Olsen, Southbury Rebecca Petrosino, Fairfield Jennifer Powers, Fairfield Lauren Randall, Wallingford
The monthly Case Discussion and Journal Club meetings have moved from Go To Meeting to Microsoft Teams. There is a “team” on Teams for each of the groups. This allows for easy access, scheduling and a centralized location for supplemental materials. To be added to one of the teams please reach out to Danielle.Dunn@ptsmc.com for an invite. Here are a few of the upcoming meetings and topics: Case Discussion (DOCS Requirement) 2/8/22 Upper Extremity focus 3/8/22 Upper Extremity focus 4/5/22 Spine focus All meetings are 12:00- 1:00 PM
Journal Club (open to all clinicians) 2/22/22 Upper Extremity focus 3/22/22 Upper Extremity focus 4/19/22 Spine focus All meetings are 12:00- 1:00 PM
STUDENT PROGRAM UPDATE This month, PTSMC welcomes 3rd year DPT student Shane Gallagher from Sacred Heart University. He’ll be working with Brian Greer in Glastonbury. A reminder to all prospective CIs - Sacred Heart University is offering a virtual APTA CI credentialing course February 28 -March 1. It’s a great opportunity to lay a solid foundation and gain confidence in being a CI. Use the link for PTSMC's 2022 Continuing Education Opportunities for more information and registration link.
RSVP to Emily at Emily.Fillion@PTSMC.com by February 18th.
2022 Continuing education opportunities list https://ptsmc.egnyte.com/dl/RCnzB8GqVU/Clinical_Excellence_List _of_Courses.xlsx_
Use the link above for a list of PTSMC Internal, PTSMC Sponsored, and External course opportunities. Please reach out to Mallory Mason via coned@ptsmc.com if you have any questions.
HUMAN RESOURCES
401(k) Employees who would like to make a change to their 401(k) biweekly contributions for the 2nd quarter of 2022 must complete the request by Thursday, March 17th to be effective with the 2nd quarter payroll. It only takes 3 quick steps to change your contributions.
VACATION REQUESTS Employees may submit a vacation request at any time during the year. However, the submission and approval deadline for June, July and August requests is as follows: Submission Deadline March 15th
Director Approval Deadline March 25th
• Login https://myplan.johnhancock.com/login • Click on Manage then Contributions • Your current Before Tax and/or Roth contributions will be displayed. Click on the arrows to adjust your percentage then click continue at the bottom of the page. • Sandra Boccialetti will be notified of the change and it will be effective with the April 6th payroll.
The approval considerations for prime-time vacation requests are as follows: • Time available • Seniority • Length of time requested (preference given to extended time vs. one day) • Appropriate staffing levels maintained All time off requests are to be submitted through ADP. To complete click on Request Time Off under the My Time Off tab on the home page. This is located in the top right corner.
REMINDER: MARCH 1, 2022 Reminder to all eligible employees that open enrollment runs from Tuesday, February 1st –Tuesday, February 15th. This must be completed in ADP. Employees were emailed an Employer Guide that listed step by step instructions on how to complete. Reach out to Sandra Boccialetti if you have any questions.
DO YOU READ THE PULSE?
Once your request has been approved or denied you will receive an email and your request can be viewed in your time off tab. Your approved vacation request will automatically be posted to your timesheet and you will not need to enter the vacation time when it occurs. Reminder that vacation time is accrued per pay period and must be used within your anniversary year. Any unused vacation time will be lost after your anniversary date. Hire date is located under 1
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Would you like to be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a $25 gift card of your choice? Email sandra.boccialetti@ptsmc.com and enter “I READ the PULSE” in the subject line.
CONGRATULATIONS! Congratulations to the following PT Aides who have completed the SIPTA (Skills Introduction for PT Aides) Program: Nathan Biega, Avon Cory Wolski, Avon Mary Pacini, Danbury Chris Burkle, Guilford Linda Mullin, Lock Street Kellie O'Donnell, New Haven Nolan Freeman, New Milford Michael Castleberry, Orange
Aneri Patel, Plainville Ken McGee, Shelton Jacob Minor, Simsbury Seth Barrett, Wallingford Lauren Doyle, Wallingford Raymond Ezirike, Windsor Laura Sweeney, Windsor
EMPLOYEE NEWS
NEW EMPLOYEES
Lorraine Esposito Branford PT Aide
Victoria Fainstein New Haven Physical Therapist
Aalyiah Henry, Naugatuck PT Aide
Victoria Karlberg, Orange PT Aide
Kaley Langlois, Watertown PT Aide
CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES Athletic Trainer Westbrook Michelle Madorran, New Milford PSC
Miranda Morel, Wallingford PT Aide
Skyler Marini, New Haven PT Aide
Sean Mulvihill, New Milford PT Aide
Jeremy Mercier Southington PT Aide
Physical Therapist Assistant Danielson
Courtney Nissel, Wallingford PT Aide
Patient Services Coordinator Danbury Essex Groton Middletown Naugatuck (part-time) Southbury Waterbury Watertown (part-time) Westbrook
Patient Care Coordinator Essex
Jordan Nolan, Windsor PT Aide
Harrison Picard, Fairfield PTA
Welcome Back! Welcome Back!
Roslin Wilhelm, Naugatuck/Watertown PTA
Samantha Schlottman, Branford PT Aide
NOT PICTURED Justine Boulanger, Watertown PT Aide Beyounce Tracey, Fairfield PSC Welcome Back!
Physical Therapist Fairfield Groton Lock Street New Haven New London Newington Orange Shelton Wallingford Waterbury (part-time) Watertown PT Aide Danielson Fairfield Groton Orange Plainville Putnam Southbury Westbrook
Check www.PTSMC.com/job-openings for our most up-to-date postings, and feel free to share! Call Jenn or email at Jenn.Detlefsen@ptsmc.com for PT Aide positions. Call Karen or email at karen.havlicek@ptsmc.com if you are interested in another position.
Employee
Spot light Sam Donahue, LAT, ATC Guilford Athletic Trainer North Branford High School Athletic Trainer Sam Donahue has been with PTSMC since May of 2017 when he was hired to fill the North Branford High School AT position. Born and raised in Cheshire, CT, Sam attended Quinnipiac University for Athletic Training and continues to live in Hamden, CT. When asked if he would ever consider living in another state, Sam replied that his brothers live down in Florida and his parents are currently building a house there, so if he went anywhere, it would be there. Sam comes from a large family of four kids. Growing up with siblings on either side of him was not always fun. His sister was too old to take notice, and his older and younger brothers would gang up on him. Now, Sam says having a big family is a lot of fun, and he hopes to someday have children of his own. In his spare time, Sam likes to find an activity outdoors, whether it’s “hiking when the weather is nice or snowboarding when the weather is not so nice.” He also enjoys playing bass guitar and re-bingeing watching classic tv shows such as Game of Thrones, The Wire or The Sopranos. Sam’s favorite state to travel to is Florida, and he considers it a bonus that he gets to visit family while he is there. His last trip was to the “wild city” of Nashville last summer where he did not get much sleep and had too much fun! During Sam’s spring semester of senior year in college, he was assigned North Branford High School for his last clinical rotation. Stacey Kavanaugh-Schofield (former PTSMC AT) oversaw him, and Sam describes her as “the best Clinical Instructor ever...the best.” At the conclusion of that school year, Stacey was pursuing a career change. It was a no-brainer that Sam would be the one to fill her shoes and when he transitioned from a student to certified AT. While North Branford is a smaller school, it means the parents, teachers and the community are invested in the athletics programs. One of Sam’s favorite things about his job is the comradery between everyone he encounters at the school to support the athletes and sports teams. He typically gets to the school around 12 pm and checks in with the nurse to hear the latest “drama” of the day and pick up the “list of COVID kids.” From there, he drops in to talk with the Athletic Director about any administrative duties that need to get done. Once in the athletic training room, he finishes SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan) notes from the day before, completes insurance forms if needed, and makes phone calls to follow-up with parents of injured athletes. Around 2 pm is when the students end their school day and that’s when the “insanity” begins. Sam is grateful that his role as a high school AT has given him the opportunity to witness his teams compete in and win the state tournament. Specifically, he loved being there for the field hockey team’s success. He enjoys playing a role in supporting them and helping them perform their best to get there. He realizes that at their point in life, they may not appreciate their accomplishments, so he makes sure he does it for the both of them!
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS Channing Harwood Nathan Anderson Lauren Randall Tom Harney Zoe Trotta Sam McMullen Jen Bastos Sydney Houseworth Mickie Picheco Andrew Perazella Kelley Cahill Lisa Guilbault Kaitlyn Murray Pete Catuccio Michael Sousa Kirsten Reaves Emma Montero Kaley Langlois Adam Petrosino Kayla Sturges Jen Pasram Ann Hall Rory O'Neil Ryan McGowan Russ Woodman Cindy Mazzarella Aalyiah Henry Kelsey Matthews Laila Temraoui Skyler Marini Lauren Doyle Ken McGee Molly Killeen Destinee Boyd Janet Tarasuk Jake Courtman Olivia Brunelle Alessandro Zabalza
1 1 1 2 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 9 9 9 10 11 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 15 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 23 24 25 25 27 27 28
Plainville Wallingford Wallingford Putnam Wallingford Southington Naugatuck Danbury Southbury New Haven Essex Danielson Windsor Watertown Southington Danbury Fairfield Watertown Fairfield Southbury Fairfield Essex Southbury New London New Haven Watertown Naugatuck Plainville Admin New Haven Wallingford Shelton Watertown Admin Admin Guilford New Haven Newington
FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARIES
Matt Gazaille Daniel Silva
PT Aide PT Aide
Windsor Waterbury
Kathryn Flodquist
Physical Therapist
Waterbury
CONGRATULATIONS TO JACEY BISSELL
Promoted to Patient Services Administrator in Branford! When Jacey joined PTSMC in August 2019, she brought with her a strong education background with a bachelor's degree in Public Health from Southern Connecticut State University and a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration. She also had experience as a research assistant and roles that required excellent customer service, knowledge of administrative procedures and focus on patient satisfaction and positive health outcomes.
Jacey initially started part-time, because during the day she had a remote research position. She would end that work day and then head to the Branford clinic to cover evenings and interact in-person with their great staff. During the early days of the pandemic, Jacey’s role was on hold. She returned to the Branford clinic in August 2020. As Branford’s volume rapidly grew, Jacey was offered a full-time role as Patient Services Coordinator. Now, eighteen months later, Jacey is taking on the role of Patient Services Administrator. “Step up doesn’t begin to describe Jacey and all she does to manage our schedules, delight our patients and keep the staff organized. The clinic continues to ‘rock’ and Jacey keeps us all together. We‘re so happy to have her as the lead in our front office and for her take on more responsibilities,” says Partner and Director Ted Raczka.
UPCOMING END OF MONTH
JANUARY END OF MONTH Timeframe Documentation FD Balancing 1/1 - 1/31 2/3 at 6:00 am 2/04 at 7:00 pm FEBRUARY MID MONTH Timeframe Documentation FD Balancing 02/01 - 02/15 2/21 at 6:00 am 2/22 at 3:00 pm FEBRUARY END OF MONTH Timeframe Documentation FD Balancing 02/01 - 02/28 3/3 at 6:00 am 3/4 at 7:00 pm
In Jacey’s free time, she practices yoga to unwind,is a self-proclaimed foodie and enjoys trying new, fun places to eat. Jacey says “Ted and our whole team is great. I’m looking forward to working with everyone in this new role while learning, growing and challenging myself professionally. I’m excited for what’s to come for the Branford clinic!”
BENEFICIARY BASICS Designating a beneficiary is not the most comfortable of things to do. However, it is necessary and often a requirement for retirement accounts and life insurance plans. Let’s break it down to basics of things to consider when designating a beneficiary to help you feel prepared and comfortable. Simply put, a beneficiary is a person or entity (could be a charity or trust fund) legally designated to receive the benefits of financial products after the owner of the account, AKA YOU, passes away. If you establish an account like this, a beneficiary is required, no matter your age. If you do not designate a beneficiary, the death benefit will go to the estate. For retirement accounts specifically, if you die without a named beneficiary, the account goes to probate court to determine how to distribute. Why is this so important? Because some financial products are not governed by your will. Additionally, if you have not established a will, the only way to ensure your money is distributed by your choosing, is to have named beneficiaries. For retirement or investment accounts, if you pass away, beneficiaries receive the balance of your assets in those accounts. There are two types of beneficiaries: primary and contingent. A primary beneficiary is the person (or persons) or entity first in line to receive the benefits upon death of the account owner (you). In the state of CT, if married, your spouse must be designated as the primary beneficiary. If the account owner (you) prefers someone or something other than a spouse, the spouse must agree and submit a form provided by the account company indicating the spouse is aware and agrees. If you are not married or your spouse signs off, you can make anyone you see fit your beneficiary of the account. Your beneficiary can be a school, church, or a community organization. A contingent beneficiary is the person (or persons) or entity designated as a backup to receive the benefit. Meaning, in the event your primary beneficiary dies before or at the same time as you, the benefit will go to the contingent beneficiary. Choosing a contingent beneficiary is not always required. Beneficiaries can be different for your different accounts. They can also be pieced out to multiple beneficiaries. For example, an account owner who is not married, can choose 60% of their account balance goes to a sibling, 20% goes to a close friend, and 20% goes to a cousin. Blood relation is not required for a beneficiary. It is important to remember that beneficiaries can be changed. This often gets overlooked, so it is important to remember in situations such as marriage, divorce, remarriage, or after the death of a loved one, to update your beneficiary for all accounts. Additionally, as mentioned before, when you get married, your beneficiary must be updated to be your spouse. A quick tip to keep your beneficiaries up-to-date: use your employer's annual benefits enrollment to revisit the details of your accounts and insurance policies. Another option is to set a date that you will remember each year — New Year’s Day, Tax Day, your birthday — and spend ten minutes checking your accounts and policies.
PTSMC Happenings! Gyujin Kim, Essex AT for Valley Regional High School, helped to secure an AED donation from the In a Heartbeat Foundation to keep her students safe.
2022 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies: February 4, Live at 6:30 am EST Events run February 2 - February 20 Master schedule: https://olympics.com/en/beijing-2022/schedule/
Meghan Blanusa, Naugatuck PT, presented on Fall Prevention and Vertigo at the Prospect Senior Center.
SoCIAl Media Sensation Channing Harwood, Plainville Physical Therapist
Kenny Kregling, Wallingford PT, married his wife Carolyn on January 8th.
Eric Horne, Simsbury PT, got engaged to his girlfriend Moira on January 13th.
The Avon staff donated gift items/gift cards to create Holiday Cheer Bags for families in need.
Shoutout to Channing Harwood for putting together a
Danielle Casey, Executive Coordinator, welcomed Mateo Thomas Quevedo on January 13th.
The LMDPvideo Groupand metainblog the post Administrative office. Pictured left toonright for the marketing teamfrom to share Back Row: Alan Balavender, Sandy Wickman Mason, Tyler Naef, Peter Decoteau, Director of Marketing, social media. Check out the video on shoulder pain and Zack Currie, Mike Durand, Tom Kirsch, Sam McMullen the blog post on exercises to kickstart New Year’s and his wife Mary Catherine, welcomed Front Row: Andrewon Kalach, Meghan Blanusa, Cahill resolutions our social media accountsKelley @ptsmc.
William James Decoteau on January 27th.
Engagement & Wellness Calendar February
Booster Shot Raffle Now- February 25 Are you boosted? Are you planning to get boosted? Submit your name & booster date to wellness@ptsmc.com and be entered into a raffle drawing on February 25th. 4 winners will each receive $50.00 gift cards!
Life Beat
Love Your Heart This February
Booster Shot Raffle
Now – Feb 25
Mindfulness Series Begins
Session 1 on Feb 24
Mindfulness Series
Session 2 on Feb 26
March Mindfulness Series
Session 3 on March 5
PTSMC Gear Order
March 14 – 25
April #GetMoving Challenge
Dates TBD
BRAGS Submissions
Deadline TBD
Mindfulness Sessions
February is American Heart Month! It is meant to educate the public and increase awareness about importance of adopting healthy lifestyles to prevent heart disease. Stress can cause your body to release adrenaline, a hormone that temporarily causes your breathing and heart rate to speed up and your blood pressure to rise. Here are some self-care tips to help you stress less for a healthier heart!
The PTSMC Wellness Program is excited to announce that we will be hosting three Mindfulness Sessions for employees.
• Get enough QUALITY sleep: The National Sleep Foundation suggests making the following easy steps to help improve your sleep – make your bedroom dark with blackout curtains, lower the temperature of the room to 65°, and implement an electronics cutoff that starts an hour before your planned bedtime.
We invite you to join us for a series of Mindfulness Sessions lead by Wellness Expert Cheryl Jones. Mindfulness practice can improve all areas of health — physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social.
• Exercise: Our bodies need to move. Studies show exercise reduces stress and implementing both aerobic exercise and resistance training benefits your heart health. If you don’t like “traditional” exercise, then find something you love that moves your body!
These sessions will teach you a meaningful way to build resilience, create stability, and reduce stress for the mind and body. If you are feeling “burnt out” this is the initiative for you! In Cheryl’s words, she will introduce practices to “thrive forward”, during times of change and chaos to lead to an overall healthier and better life.
• Learn relaxation techniques: The ability to take yourself from a moment of high stress to calm is a superpower. Meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and yoga are great forms of stress relief. There are so many resources to get you started for free! • Learn time-management skills: Juggling work and family can often seem to take up all your time leaving you to wonder – when am I supposed to fit all these techniques into my day? Learning how to manage your time will help you stay on top of important tasks and make time for what is meaningful for you. • Nurture yourself: From treating yourself to a massage or lighting your favorite candle, take time out of your day to put yourself first. No matter how big or small the gesture, find time to do something you enjoy and be present. If you’re short on time, make a list of 3 minute activities you love such as listening to your favorite song, having a big stretch after sitting, or savoring an indulgent snack. Always remember there isn’t one correct way to control stress. Find the best form of healthy relaxation for you. Nature walks, spending time with a friend or loved one, taking an art class are all different ways you can help your body and mind respond to stress. Love on your heart by loving on yourself. If you are lost on where to start, join the Mindfulness Seminars!
with Wellness Expert Cheryl Jones
The past few years have been stressful, taxing, and disruptive on everyone’s wellbeing. The evolution of the pandemic and the “relapse” over the holiday season has felt like taking steps backwards.
Session 1: Thursday, February 24th from 12 - 12:45 pm Session 2: Saturday, February 26th from 9 - 9:30 am Session 3: Saturday, March 5th from 9 - 9:30 am Click this link for a quick intro from Cheryl Jones: https://ptsmc.egnyte.com/dl/9Zi2tKYBAY/Mindfulness_Sessions_PTSMC.mov_ We encourage you to attend all three sessions. All sessions will be virtual. The first session will be recorded and sent out to all employees shortly after. If you are only able to make one or two of the sessions that is okay! Just RSVP to the one(s) you can attend. Attending the sessions in order is not a necessity. For Session 1 on February 24th, please speak to your clinic’s Partner/Director to adjust your schedule that day to attend. Please RSVP to wellness@ptsmc.com, as well as send any questions.