Category Archives: Health / Community Services

Alliance180, a peer-to-peer, purpose-driven program that aims to prevent suicide for veterans, first responders and frontline healthcare workers facing the effects of trauma through a transformative equine experience, has hired its first executive director. Denise Romeo, former executive vice president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, was named to the position. “Denise brings...

By Donna Kirker MS RN NEA-BC

Each year National Nurses Week begins on May 6 and ends on May 12, the day that Florence Nightingale was born. Florence Nightingale is known for her selflessness, dedication and commitment to serving others and for revolutionizing nursing as a profession. 

Her work was remarkably progressive for the time, utilizing her own data to establish credible evidence upon which actionable conclusions could be drawn. Because of her meticulous work, it was demonstrated that simple sanitation techniques such as handwashing could stop the spread of infectious diseases in hospitals. 

Her legacy of compassion and selfless service set the bar high for the nursing profession. Nurses are often recognized for their unwavering commitment and for making sacrifices to serve others during major events and other important health issues. They work extended hours, through the night and often without enough resources to deliver care effectively. 

The national shortage of nurses and other healthcare workers that was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic has put incredible strain on the health care system. Many long-tenured nurses left the profession for retirement, while others left the clinical setting choosing less demanding career options. 

Those who remained at the bedside have been commended for their resilience. The American Nurses Association (ANA) reminds us “we must see and celebrate our nurses as whole humans, not as a fictitious image of an all-powerful, all resilient hero.” For the past 3 years, nurses have put aside their own needs and feelings to push forward through the pandemic and its aftermath. We must value them and promote their well-being. 

By Paul Post

A new facility offering day programs for people with traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s and dementia is now open, after a three-year delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 STRIVE, which stands for Supportive Techniques for Rebuilding Independence & Vital Experiences, is a program of nonprofit AIM Services that supports people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, including those with traumatic brain injuries and those looking for nursing home transition or diversion.

 STRIVE is for people in Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties, but participants may also come from the immediate Capital Region along with Fulton and Montgomery counties as well.

AIM is headquartered at 4227 Route 50 in Wilton, near the intersections of Old Gick and Ingersoll roads. Previously, STRIVE was housed at a somewhat remote location in Fort Edward, which presented transportation obstacles for many people.

By Jill Nagy

Sachmarie Crowley, a board certified family nurse practitioner, operates Sasha’s of Saratoga, a practice she said is “a care center, not strictly a business.”

Her aim is to help people “stay well and age well,” she said. 

Sasha’s offers an eclectic range of services including vitamin injections, botox treatments, spider vein removal, intravenous hydration, chronic disease consultations, and certifications for medical marijuana. She does not offer routine medical care.

Crowley was born in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, but has lived in Saratoga Springs since 2008. She spent 15 years in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman, roughly equivalent to a nurse. While in the Navy, she also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Sage Colleges. Upon her discharge from the Navy in 2016, she practiced part-time before opening a full-time office at 2 Franklin Square in downtown Saratoga Springs. 

Crowley is assisted by two part-time nurses. She collaborates, at times, with local physicians. 

Some of her clients are referred by a primary care physician or medical specialist. Others are word-of-mouth referrals from other clients, and a few find her through Google, she said. 

Among her services is providing consultations  with patients suffering from chronic conditions. 

Saratoga Arts announced the grant recipients for its 2022 Community Arts Regrant Program that  supports organizations and individual artists in Fulton, Montgomery, and Saratoga counties. 

Some 47 grants totaling $148,500 were awarded to support community- based arts events taking place in 2022. 

“We are thrilled to be setting a record this year not only in the amount of funding distributed but also with the number of projects we will be able to fund,” said Charlie Owens, grants and community relations manager. “After years of isolation, it is thrilling to know these funded projects can continue to create art in our communities and, perhaps more importantly, build community through the arts.”

With funding awarded from the state Council on the Arts, Saratoga Arts’ Community Arts Regrant Program supports artists, nonprofit organizations, and government departments in the three counties, in partnership with qualifying organizations and artists, to present arts and cultural programs of high artistic merit in local communities.

This years’ grant recipients were celebrated at the annual Community Arts Celebration at Saratoga Arts, 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs.

By Susan Elise Campbell

Business is going smoothly for the new owner of Irresistible Nutrition at 53 Broad St. along Waterford’s historic canal. 

Timothy Van Sleet purchased the tea and smoothie bar in February and attributes the rapid growth of the business to social media marketing and support from his family of entrepreneurs, he said. 

“Irresistible Nutrition was always a tea shop, a beautiful store in a charming town,” Van Sleet said. “But when I took over, our social media postings drew thousands of views and many visitors are now regulars.”

Van Sleet was working at FedEx at the time his wife, Candace Rockefeller, was having their second child. After maternity leave he became a stay-at-home dad while Candace re-entered the work force.

Once he and Candace decided to go into business for themselves, Van Sleet set his sister to work finding an existing business to purchase. He was determined he “didn’t want to work for the man but to be the man.”

“My mother owns Unbeatable Nutrition on Hoosick Street in Troy and my twin sisters operate it,” he said. “She was always an entrepreneur and had a real estate business and a book shop.” 

Marissa Broadley was promoted to director of infection prevention at Saratoga Hospital. She will be responsible for infection prevention and control at the hospital’s more than 20 locations.

 The Ballston Lake resident has 13 years of experience in infection prevention in roles of increasing responsibility. Most recently, she was manager of infection prevention at Saratoga Hospital, a member of the Albany Med Health System.

 With her system colleagues at Albany Medical Center Hospital, Columbia Memorial Health and Glens Falls Hospital, as well as partners at other Northeastern New York hospitals, Broadley has played an integral role in the region’s response to infection prevention challenges throughout the pandemic, officials said.

 “Marissa has been a go-to resource and leader on our team during an often-frightening time,” said Dr. Richard Falivena, vice president and chief medical and physician integration officer at Saratoga Hospital. “She has worked closely with public health officials and her counterparts at other organizations, identifying and communicating best practices to ensure optimal protection for patients and staff. Our hospital and community benefit enormously from her dedication and expertise.” 

By Jill Nagy

A local company ptSource (pronounced “patient source”) has taken over the front office operations for OrthoNY, an orthopedic medical practice with several offices in the Capital District.

The company schedules appointments, answers telephone calls, provides information, and performs similar tasks on an around-the-clock basis.

“We provide a much better patient experience than any practice can do themselves” at a reduced cost, said company president Craig Skevington.

His company has been in business for about 20 years providing services to some 60 clients, mostly providing after-hours telephone coverage. OrthoNY is the first client to sign up for 24-hour service.

“The Monday morning and late afternoon stress” are gone, he said.

“Everything is working great so far,” said OrthoNY CEO Michelle Brinkman. “The partnership has helped us achieve our goal of easier patient access.” 

Saratoga Hospital has been named one of “The World’s Best Hospitals 2021” by Newsweek—a distinction earned by just six hospitals in the state.

Other “World’s Best” facilities in New York are The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York-Presbyterian, and NYU Langone Hospitals, all in New York City; North Shore University Hospital on Long Island and Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

Saratoga Hospital is the only Capital Region facility and the only community hospital in the state to make the list. With 171 beds, the hospital also is the smallest of the New York facilities counted among the list.

“We are in great company, and it’s all because of our amazing team,” said Angelo Calbone, Saratoga Hospital president and CEO. “Regardless of their role or department, our team members put patient care and satisfaction above all else. That’s what it means to be part of Saratoga Hospital, and the results are obvious—in the excellent care we provide, our investments in technology, and our emphasis on kindness and customer service with our patients, visitors and each other.”

The Newsweek ranking lists the best hospitals in 25 countries based on three data sources: recommendations from medical experts, results from patient surveys and medical key performance indicators for hospitals.

According to Newsweek, those that merit the World’s Best designation “stand out for their consistent excellence, including distinguished physicians, top-notch nursing care and state-of-the-art technology.”