Quarry Hill

CAMDEN, FEBRUARY 17, 2010 – A new program hosted by Quarry Hill Retirement Community is offering people with Parkinson’s disease something they may have thought beyond their reach: an opportunity to experience the joys of dance.

Taught by dance instructor Katie Tranzillo of Belfast, “Dancing with Parkinson’s” meets on Thursdays through March 25, from 2:30 to 3:45 pm, in the Anderson Inn at Quarry Hill. The class is open to those with Parkinson’s disease and other conditions affecting movement and to anyone interested in moving to music. No experience is necessary; canes, walkers, and wheelchairs are welcome.

Tranzillo said her program’s emphasis on rhythmic, fluid movements, presented in a safe and accepting environment, helps participants “release tension, increase flexibility, breathe more deeply, and connect with others joyfully and creatively.” For those with Parkinson’s, the gains may be even more significant.

“In class we work both sides of the body and challenge different parts of the brain, and for some people, that can help reduce movement-related symptoms,” Tranzillo explained. “For example, if you have difficulty with balance, you may benefit from learning how to transfer weight from one foot to the other. Those who have tremors may notice smoother, more controlled movement.”

But at its core, Tranzillo said, the class is “not about addressing symptoms. It’s about using movement, creativity, body awareness, and imagery to help people learn about and simply have fun with movement.” Building body awareness can help anyone—with or without a movement-affecting disorder—stand more solidly, walk more confidently, and prevent falls, she said. And many people find that moving to music simply feels good.

Before moving to Maine last fall, Tranzillo offered “Dancing with Parkinson’s” classes to members of the Connecticut Parkinson’s Working Group. Experienced in teaching a wide range of dance styles, Tranzillo has received special training to lead dance programs for people with Parkinson’s.

The fee for “Dancing with Parkinson’s” is $5 per class with a sliding scale available. Participants need not register, and drop-ins are welcome. For more information, call Katie Tranzillo at 203-915-9371.

CAMDEN, FEBRUARY 16, 2010 - Executive Chef John Roy of Quarry Hill Retirement Community in Camden and the Knox Center for Long Term Care in Rockland has sealed his reputation as the area’s chowder czar, winning top honors in the West Bay Rotary’s Chili and Chowder Challenge for the third time in four years. The event was held February 6 at the Camden Snow Bowl in conjunction with the 20th Annual U.S. National Toboggan Championships.

Roy’s entry, a creamy concoction loaded with scallops, haddock, shrimp, and clams, won rave reviews from the crowd of more than 300 spoon-wielding samplers drawn to the event. The same recipe took first place in 2006 and 2007. It also holds a special place in the hearts of Quarry Hill and Knox Center residents, who have enjoyed it for years.

“With chowder, it’s all about the seafood,” Roy said. “I start with the freshest I can find-like just-dragged scallops, and then keep the recipe simple, hot, and thick. That way, the seafood really shines.”

Camden, Me., January 15, 2010— Vicki B. Harriman, RN, MSN, of Union has joined the staff of Quarry Hill as manager of The Terraces, the retirement community’s traditional assisted living community program.

In a distinguished career spanning four decades, Harriman has combined a commitment to superior bedside care with a passion for guiding the next generation of professional nurses. A respected presence on the front lines of patient care, she has worked as a staff nurse at Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice and Maine General Medical Center in Augusta and, most recently, as staff and charge nurse in the medical/surgical and pediatric units at Penobscot Bay Medical Center (PBMC) in Rockport. She has also taught nursing, CPR, and related subjects at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, the University of Maine at Augusta, Kennebec Valley Technical College in Fairfield, Mid-Coast School of Technology in Rockland, Southern Maine Technical College in South Portland, and other schools and hospitals statewide.

Harriman’s professional record includes numerous accomplishments. As patient care coordinator at Knox County General Hospital in the 1970s, she oversaw the transition of several of the hospital’s specialty areas to the newly opened PBMC. Locally, she chaired PBMC’s Adolescent Wellness Task Force while gaining a statewide reputation for a medication administration curriculum she authored for the Maine State Board of Nursing.

The Alna native holds a degree in nursing from Salem (Mass.) Hospital of Nursing, a bachelor’s degree in vocational education from the University of Southern Maine, and a master’s degree in nursing with an emphasis on community health, also from the University of Southern Maine.

Harriman said she became impressed with Quarry Hill while visiting her mother in the community’s skilled nursing center.

“I was struck by the staff’s dedication to family-centered care,” she said. ” From the social workers to the nurses to the therapy staff, everyone worked with me and my siblings to respect Mom’s wishes for her final days.”

As unit manager, Harriman said she aims to maintain that commitment, ensuring compassionate, family-focused care for all Terraces residents.

Quarry Hill is a member of the Pen Bay Healthcare family of services, which also includes Penobscot Bay Medical Center, Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice, the Knox Center for Long Term Care, and the Mid-Coast Mental Health Center. Through these organizations, more than 1,700 healthcare professionals and more than 100 outstanding physicians care for the people of Midcoast Maine with services that begin at birth and continue throughout the lifespan. For more information, visit penbayhealthcare.org.

December 4, 2009—The area’s Parkinson’s Disease Support Group promises continued fellowship and learning through the early months of 2010, with a series of monthly meetings beginning in January and a special Parkinson’s Disease Resource and Information Forum set for April.

The support group meets regularly on the first Tuesday of each month, from 12 noon to 1:45 p.m., at the Anderson Inn at Quarry Hill Retirement Community in Camden; participation is free and open to all those living with Parkinson’s, as well as their family members, friends, and caregivers. Attendees are encouraged to bring bag lunches; Quarry Hill provides beverages and desserts. The dates and topics of upcoming meetings are as follows: 

May 4: “Centering Fitness for Parkinson’s”

Clinical exercise specialist and personal trainer Carol Woodbury Witham will discuss and demonstrate her New Pathways for Parkinson’s Fitness Program. Pathways incorporates t’ai chi and chi qong as well as breathing, stretching, strengthening, and flexibility exercises. 

April 6: “The Poetry of Ken Nye”

In honor of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, poet and former university professor Ken Nye of Freeport will read from his well-regarded collection of writings. Nye has Parkinson’s himself and recently lost his mother to Alzheimer’s disease; he reflects on both subjects in his poetry.

March 2: “Speech and Swallowing Problems in Parkinson’s”

Speech-language pathologist Cheryl Cassidy of MidCoast Speech and Hearing reviews speech and swallowing issues associated with Parkinson’s. Participants will learn about strategies for prevention and treatment, including Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, a technique for improving vocal intensity and intelligibility. (Note: if the January 5 meeting is rescheduled for this day due to foul weather, “Speech and Swallowing” will become the topic of the group meeting to be held on Tuesday, June 1.)

February 2: “Breathing into Change”

In a session aimed at honoring all who care for people with Parkinson’s, Pen Bay Healthcare women and family health coordinator Wendelanne Augunas, LCPC, will introduce strategies for coping with major life changes. Following the presentation, caregivers will receive nurturing treats, courtesy of the group.

January 5: “Dance and Parkinson’s”

Dance instructor Katie Tranzillo will show group members how moving to music can help people with Parkinson’s temporarily transcend some of the physical symptoms associated with the condition. Snow date: March 2.

Also of interest to the local Parkinson’s community is the support group’s annual Parkinson’s Disease Resource and Information Forum, to be held in the new year on Tuesday, April 27, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm at the Anderson Inn at Quarry Hill. Designed for anyone living with Parkinson’s or caring for someone who is, the forum offers opportunities to interact with area professionals who provide Parkinson’s services and support, browse among numerous exhibits, and collect take-home literature. Admission is free.

Quarry Hill Retirement Community has chosen Nancy Marcille, RN, BSHA, of Damariscotta to serve as director of nursing.

Most recently interim director of nursing and manager of Miles Health Care’s 76-bed long-term care center Coves Edge in Damariscotta, Marcille headed functions ranging from admissions to personnel and budgeting while overseeing day-to-day nursing care. She was twice awarded Miles’s President’s Award for innovations aimed at improving the physical environment for long-term care residents and encouraging nurses to enter the long-term care profession.

Marcille became director of long-term care for St. Andrew’s Healthcare in Boothbay Harbor upon moving to Maine in 1990. She played a pivotal role in the opening of

St. Andrew’s Village and the establishment of a continuum of care that included a 30-bed long-term care community. In 2002 she joined Miles Memorial Hospital as case manager and discharge planner.

The Connecticut native is a graduate of Bridgeport (Conn.) Hospital School of Nursing and holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from St. Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish. She became a certified gerontological nurse in 1996 and an Eden Alternative associate in 1998.

Marcille said her top priorities as director of nursing are to “serve as a role model” and “be a force for change in elder care.” She added that she’s delighted with her new position.

“Quarry Hill is a wonderful place to be. You can just feel it. The staff—the people who make this place what it is—are in it for all the right reasons,” she commented.

Quarry Hill is a member of the Pen Bay Healthcare family of services, which also includes Penobscot Bay Medical Center, Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice, the Knox Center for Long Term Care, and the Mid-Coast Mental Health Center. Through these organizations, more than 1,700 healthcare professionals and more than 100 outstanding physicians care for the people of Midcoast Maine with services that begin at birth and continue throughout the lifespan. For more information, visit penbayhealthcare.org.