Category: Q&A

Telemonitoring patients at home

Granite VNA, New Hampshire’s leading home health care provider, has launched a telemonitoring program for patients with chronic illnesses. Leveraging advanced tech tools, the program aims to empower patients to proactively monitor their vital signs. Suzanne Olszak, RN, who has more than 30 years of experience in home health care and manages the program, discussed its impact, benefits and future.

Can you provide an overview of your program and its significance in the context of home health care?

We operate a telemonitoring program at Granite VNA, having launched it almost a year ago in October. With my 30 years in home care and a decade in telemonitoring with other agencies, this new program encompasses 50 telemonitoring units. … We provide these patients with a tablet, scale, blood pressure cuff and pulse oximeter for home use. They’re trained to daily monitor and record their weight, blood pressure and oxygen levels. The tablets, equipped with Bluetooth, transmit this data directly to our telemonitoring nurse’s computer. This allows for immediate tracking, enabling us to detect any detrimental trends. … Typically, we monitor patients for approximately 60 days. … If any alarming trends emerge, we communicate with both the patient and their health care providers to proactively intervene and adjust their care plan, to prevent potential hospitalizations.

Who is this program specifically designed to serve and support?

Our focus is on high-risk patients with chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure (CHF), COPD, and high blood pressure, particularly those with medication changes or frequent rehospitalizations. … We solely cater to patients from Granite VNA who have been recommended for skilled nursing or physical therapy. This telemonitoring service complements the assistance provided by their home care nurses and therapists.

What is the primary purpose and intended outcome of this program for high-risk patients?

Our goal is twofold: reduce hospitalizations and empower patients to be more engaged and informed about their health. … The objective is to instill in these high-risk patients — CHF, hypertension, COPD patients — the significance of daily vitals monitoring. We educate them about diet and the critical aspects of their specific condition. Ultimately, we want patients to become autonomous in managing their health, particularly in identifying when they need medical attention. … Our hope is that with this knowledge and monitoring, patients can become more proactive and independent in managing their conditions.

How are the patients adapting to using this technology?

Many patients initially feel nervous about using the new technology, primarily because the majority of our users are elderly. However, they adapt surprisingly well. We provide hands-on guidance, having them practice while we’re present in their homes. The process is relatively simple for most — stepping on a scale or using a pulse oximeter. The biggest challenge tends to be the blood pressure cuff, as it requires positioning the arm correctly and tightening the loop, but we’ve designed it to be as user-friendly as possible.

Does this program help in freeing up time for the nurses?

Absolutely, it does. Instead of requiring multiple weekly visits for nurses to see a patient, the frequency can be reduced to once a week or even every other week. This is possible because a nurse constantly monitors the vitals, and this data is transferred to the patient’s matrix care chart, which is their home care record. … Additionally, patients appreciate this setup since they don’t have to always wait for a nurse to visit, yet they’re reassured that someone is monitoring their vitals throughout the program duration.

Do you plan to extend the program to other medical conditions or broaden its reach in any way?

The decision is primarily made on a case-by-case basis. If a nurse reaches out to me about a patient with a complex situation whom they believe would benefit from this technology, I’m fully on board with setting it up in their home.

Featured photo: UNH system libraries are located in Manchester, Durham, Keene and Plymouth. Courtesy graphic.

University libraries lend to all state residents

University libraries have traditionally been reserved for students and faculty. However, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) has expanded access to its resources, now allowing the broader community to utilize its collections. We spoke with Tara Lynn Fulton, Dean of the UNH Library, to delve into the reasons behind this decision, the response from the community and the implications for academic libraries in the future. New Hampshire residents (18 years old and older) can obtain library cards from USNH campuses with valid identification and proof of residency. Visit library.unh.edu.

Why did you decide to start offering free borrowing to New Hampshire residents?

First, to offer some broader context: We have public libraries in communities across the state. … If someone requires more in-depth research that their local library can’t fulfill, these libraries offer interlibrary loans. We’ve always participated in this, lending materials. Each of our libraries also traditionally had a small regional group that could obtain library cards. This isn’t a new initiative; most people have relied on their public libraries. But for individuals like writers or high school students involved in advanced research, it’s been a beneficial service. Our primary mission is to serve the campus: our students and faculty. Historically, this meant physical collections like print books, DVDs, and other materials. As the digital era has progressed, more of our collections have transitioned to e-books and digital media. During the Covid era, with a shift to remote learning, our faculty leaned heavily into these electronic resources, and the need for physical materials lessened. This made me wonder: Why not open up our resources more widely? I brought this up with other library directors from the University System of New Hampshire, and they were all on board. Hence, the initiative evolved.

Have you seen an uptick in borrowers?

Several people got cards as soon as the news spread. It’s not a vast number, but for those who wanted it, it’s been valuable. I’ve seen a few people walking around in the library. One individual mentioned how they appreciated the chance to check out materials and were also grateful to know they’re welcome in our building. This offering has reinforced to the community that our facilities are open and available for their use.

What distinguishes your library’s materials from those in a typical town library?

Our library’s core focus is to serve the university by providing materials that support higher education. While town libraries offer a general assortment of classic literature and popular reads, our collection delves deeper, especially into areas like English literature and American literature. The depth varies based on campus programs; for instance, the Durham campus emphasizes science, so we have a substantial array of historical physics materials. We have extensive collections, including non-circulating special ones, such as an in-depth history of New Hampshire, invaluable for researchers or authors seeking historical accuracy. Campuses like Keene and Plymouth, historically centered on teacher education, provide resources beneficial for educators, such as specialized teaching methods for specific grades.

Is there a plan to digitize the special collections, extending their accessibility?

We’re taking progressive steps to digitize, ensuring we adhere to copyright constraints. A notable accomplishment from the past year is digitizing New Hampshire’s town reports in their entirety, which has been well-received. Most of our digitized collections can be browsed on our website.

Do you think other universities might adopt a similar approach, opening their libraries to local residents?

This might differ from state to state. New Hampshire’s tight-knit nature promotes a strong bond between universities and communities. Our effort seems like a logical progression in this partnership. While I’m unaware of similar endeavors in other states, the global trend moving away from print materials might inspire similar initiatives. We’d be delighted to be trailblazers in this movement.

Featured photo: UNH system libraries are located in Manchester, Durham, Keene and Plymouth. Courtesy graphic.

Wildflower Festival celebrates pollinators

The inaugural Wildflower Festival, set for Saturday, Aug. 19, at Keyes Field on Elm Street, Milford, aims to bring together art, music and nature while highlighting the importance of pollinators and urban green spaces. Event organizer Griff Comtois discussed the festival’s origins, mission and planned activities. See Eventbrite for details and tickets.

Tell us about the festival and its activities.

There’s going to be an art market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The venue is this large wooden and stone amphitheater near a river. There’s a field in front of it. In the field and the parking lot, there will be around 30 art vendors and a food truck. The food truck The Sleazy Vegan will be selling all vegan food. We’ll also have burgers and hot dogs available. During this time, people can come, walk around, see the artists and just hang out. From 6 to 9 p.m., we have a concert. This requires tickets for entry. We’ll have three bands playing, all local to New Hampshire, from the Seacoast area and down to southern New Hampshire. The bands are Sneaky Miles, Watson Park and Five Feet. Also, during the day, the New Hampshire Beekeepers Association will be there. They’ll have an educational booth about pollinators and will bring observation hives.

What inspired this initiative, and what is the mission behind it?

There are two primary sources of inspiration. First, I’ve always been a big fan of the outdoors. Recently, my interest in urban development grew, especially in integrating nature into urban settings. I believe in creating spaces where people can connect with nature, enjoy their surroundings and just relax. … Art and music, to me, are closely linked. They’re ways for people to express themselves and understand the world. Nature ties into this as well, being a part of the world we live in. Many, especially myself, draw inspiration from nature. Second, I love concerts and festivals. A few years ago, our town built a new amphitheater. While some events have taken place there, I hadn’t seen any major festivals. I felt it would be an ideal location for such an event and believed it would be great for our community, bringing everyone together. Over time, this evolved into a mission to enhance the parks where the events take place.

Why dedicate the proceeds to pollinator gardens and pollinator hotels?

Native plants play a vital role in our cities, and supporting pollinators is crucial for producing food and maintaining a vibrant ecosystem. By enhancing the gardens in the park, we not only provide visitors with a beautiful view but also offer an educational opportunity. It’s essential for everyone to understand the significance of pollinators.

After the festival, how can people continue to support the initiative?

Depending on the funds we gather from the festival, we might need to host more fundraisers to reach our targets. Apart from that, I’m likely to need some volunteer help for the garden installations. I’ve been in touch with Petals in the Pines [a local pollinator garden and conservancy]. They provided some advice about the criteria to make a garden officially recognized as pollinator-friendly. I’m planning at least one major garden installation, followed by a few of the pollinator hotels. Depending on the money we have or continue to raise, we’ll determine the scale. We’ve also identified a location that could potentially be turned into a full wildflower meadow.

What insights about the natural world do you hope attendees gain from the festival?

I hope that they get a glimpse into the intricacies of even the smallest elements of nature, like a garden or the plants they pass by daily. … Beyond bees, there are hundreds of pollinating insects playing their role in these mini ecosystems. It’s fascinating to see how much effort goes into sustaining such small entities.

Wildflower Festival
Where: Keyes Field, Elm Street in Milford
When: Saturday, Aug. 19
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. — free Arts Market with more than 20 vendors
6 to 9 p.m. — Ticketed concert with Watson Park, Five Feet and Sneaky Miles; tickets cost $14.98 plus fees for general admission, $5 plus fees for children ages 2 to 10.
Find tickets on EventBrite.com

Nathan Graziano talks about his latest project

Manchester author Nathan Graziano discusses his new collection of poetry, Born on Good Friday.

Tell us about Born on Good Friday.

I was actually born at exactly three o’clock on Good Friday in 1975, and in the Bible three o’clock was supposedly the time that Christ died. I was raised in a fairly strict Catholic household. My mother is a very devout Catholic. Because of that, I’ve always had a number of issues with guilt and anxiety and all those good things that come with being brought up a good Catholic boy. So part of the collection is actually dealing with a lot of the hang-ups that I experienced from growing up with Catholicism. Then it sort of moves into a second section which really deals with confronting guilt, confronting sin, and then the third part of it is my midlife crises, my whole dancing-in-the-dark moment. It really moves throughout my life. I don’t know if I should say it’s autobiographical, but it’s autobiographical.

This is the first book of poetry you’ve published in almost a decade. What made you return to it after such a long hiatus?

It’s been a long time coming for me. Earlier in my writing career, I published more poetry than I do now. … Poetry is a labor of love for me. I don’t just sit down and think, ‘I’m going to write some poetry.’ It’s one of those things that compels you, that calls you, when everything bottles up; it’s an emotional catharsis for me.

How did you capture some of these emotions and memories into the written verse?

These emotions, these memories, are indelible; they’ve been with me my entire life, so it really wasn’t all that difficult to recall those. For me, a poem hinges and moves on emotions. So even if it’s something that I experienced or felt when I was 14 years old, you still experience it, feel those same things as an adult; you just see it through a different lens.

While reflecting on your childhood through an adult lens, did you uncover any surprising revelations or insights?

That’s the real joy in writing; it always surprises you. Sometimes what’s there is every bit as shocking to you as it is to the reader.

How would you describe your poetry style?

My poetry is not … lyrical. It’s very much plain spoken. … I think poetry [has been taken] from layman readers and made into something so arcane and difficult to understand that most people start reading a poem and end up banging their head against the wall, like, ‘Why don’t you just say what you mean?!’ My aesthetic is the type of poem that you don’t need an advanced degree in literature to understand.

What would you like readers to take away from this collection of poetry?

I’m very well aware that poetry is a hard sell. You can’t write a poem or a book of poems thinking it’s going to make you famous. … But I’m really hoping that with the plain spoken approach and the humor, that maybe people who wouldn’t generally consider looking at a poetry book might take a swing at this one. … In my definition of it, a poem makes you feel something; it probes at a type of emotional truth that you can expand on however you like. … My goal with any book has always been to just make the reader feel a little less alone in the world … and to see themselves and their own experiences through what I’m writing. With this one, I hope they laugh. I do not take myself overly seriously. There’s a lot of humor in the book. Some of it is certainly on the darker side. Ultimately, I just want the reader to enjoy the experience of reading it, to make connections and to laugh.