Westport in Brief!

EverythingWestport.com

Sunday, November 1, 2015

photos/EverythingWestport.com except as noted

 

Quick Article Index . . .

 

Star Wars technology for visually impaired seniors comes to the Westport Free Public Library.

 

Westport River Watershed Alliance to host Watershed Walk at Boiling Brook.

 

Sneak Peak Film Screening: ‘Sense the Wind’ at The Shattuck.

 

“We lived... thanks to a Subaru.”

 

Harold J. "Jack" Sisson, Jr., 61, of Westport.

 

Southcoast Health is 1 of 3 hospitals in New England to offer an implantable device as an alternative to long-term blood thinners.

 

 

Westport Free Public Library - serving readers who are visually impaired. 

The Westport Free Public Library is proud to announce the launch of a new program to serve the needs of their visually-challenged patrons with a marvelous new world of assistive technology. 

EverythingWestport.com

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

 

The Westport Free Public Library is proud to announce the launch of a new program to serve the needs of their visually-challenged patrons with optical impairments. 

 

Several years ago the library received a generous gift from the estate of Prudence Chadwick, formerly of Cadman’s Neck, specifically restricted to serve the needs of people who are visually impaired.  With that they began to increase their resource collection with items such as large print books, audio discs, and variations thereof.  But they also began to investigate development in the marvelous new world of assistive technology, and the possible acquisition of new devices for the magnification and illumination of print materials such as newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, correspondence, bills and invoices, and technical reports. 

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has two prime Centers for the Talking Book, for works featuring such equipment and service, one at the Worcester Public Library; the other in Watertown at the famous Perkins School for the Blind where Helen Keller studied.

 

While visiting Perkins, Westport Library personnel met with Ellen Hall, who is a liaison to regional libraries looking to establish assistive tech programs. Ellen demonstrated a range of products to give them a sense of what might be appropriate for their small library. 

 

Shortly after, Hall came to Westport to make a presentation to Westport’s Library Board, and to assess the library’s space and capability. She also put the library on to the Brooks Free Library in Harwich, which for ten years has been building a program for individuals who are blind or partially sighted directed by Carla Burke. Carla convinced the Harwich Library and Town Officials to hire her and she has built a model program for what the Westport Free Public Library envisions in Westport someday. The MA Commission for the Blind lists over 1,000 area residents as legally blind and in need of assistive technology services. 

 

Carla then led Westport to Linda Holtzman, Regional Director of the MA Commission for the Blind in New Bedford, and Margaret Gaffney, her remarkable and visually impaired IT Director.  With their recommendation, Westport librarypersonnel constructed a mail survey of the 74 Westport residents listed as legally blind, according to the MA Commission records, to determine specific community needs, and as a result eceived a healthy 50% response.  Twenty-four of the residents are already active with the Perkins outreach program for audio and computer-linked material and were clearly supportive of their library’s plans.   

 

Finally, it was determined that Westport should make an initial purchase of an electronic desktop magnifier with flexible capability, plus two handheld magnifiers - which allow scanning one column of print at a time – to assist readers with newspapers and magazines. 

 

 

 

Above: handheld devices can be slid over reading material, held by a flip-out wand, or simply held in one hand, whichever is most comfortable for the reader.

 

So Westport is the first library on the South Coast to initiate such a project, and have set aside an area adjacent to our History Room for patrons. They invite and encourage residents and others to stop by and experiment with these devices.  They are honored to be able to realize the blessings of the Chadwick Trust in this manner. 

 

“The handheld electronic magnifiers are also great for reading pill bottles,

instructions for medications that are written in impossibly small type, or

the “small print” in contracts and legal documents.”

 

Some article content provided by Robert Gormley, Library Trustee and Susan Branco, Library Director. 

 

 
 

Westport River Watershed Alliance to host Watershed Walk at Boiling Brook.

EverythingWestport.com

Friday, October 30, 2015

 

The Westport River Watershed Alliance (WRWA) has scheduled a watershed walk in the Boiling Brook area of Fall River on Saturday, November 7th at 10:00 a.m.  WRWA Executive Director Deborah Weaver will team up with Green Futures Director Everett Castro to lead the walk through conservation land at the northernmost area of the Westport River watershed. 

 

Many are surprised to learn that much of the eastern part of Fall River is forested conservation land, and connected to the 14,000 acre Bioreserve that extends into the Freetown State Forest.  The Boiling Spring got its name for the manner in which the underground waters bubble up to the surface.  The resulting stream is a tributary of the Westport River.  These areas of open space make a real difference for the watershed, with the natural, open terrain keeping the waters free of pollution.

 

“The Boiling Spring got its name for the manner in which the underground waters bubble up to the surface.  The resulting stream is a tributary of the Westport River.” - Steve Connors

 

The Westport River Watershed covers 100 square miles, extending into the surrounding areas of Fall River, Dartmouth, and Freetown, as well as Tiverton and Little Compton in Rhode Island.

 

Directions and Parking Information.

Parking for the Boiling Spring walk will be at the Copicut Rifle Association parking area.  Take Copicut Road north to Quanapoag Road – go east about 100 yards to a gate on the north side of the road.  Signs will be posted to mark the way.  

 

The walk will start promptly at 10:00 a.m., and appropriate dress and good hiking shoes are recommended.  The walk is free and open to the public.

 

If the weather is questionable, call 508.636.3016 on the morning of the walk, or check the Westport River Watershed Alliance Facebook page prior to the walk for cancellation information. For further information, email WRWA at outreach@wrwa.com.

 

 

 

Sneak Peak Film Screening: ‘Sense the Wind’ at The Shattuck.

Blind sailors race across open water. Come enjoy a preview of the completed documentary with the Director!

EverythingWestport.com

 

The Dedee Shattuck Gallery invites you to a Sneak Peak Film Screening: Sense the Wind. Blind Sailors Race Across Open Water. Come enjoy a preview of the completed documentary with the Director!

$15 Ticket Donation; tickets available at the door.

 

Thursday, November 5, 2015 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. 

 

Q&A with the Director followed by a reception; preview DVDs available for sale.

 

The sea is bright, there's a steady wind out of the SW, the race meeting is over and a conga-line of sailors makes its way to the waterfront. A white cane taps along the dock, an outstretched hand struggles to grab a halyard to step up onto the boat deck. 

 

In regattas across the US and abroad, visually impaired sailors learn not to fear what they cannot see. They sail by feel: sensing the breeze on a cheek or tension in the tiller, listening to the pattern of waves hitting the hull and sails luffing in the wind. Sighted guides describe the racecourse and give tactical race advice. On the water disability is no longer a focus.

 

Sense the Wind is a journey into the sport of blind sailing and into the lives of four of its competitors. On board cameras and audio capture the high stakes tension. Camera angles at the Start, Marks and Finish Line of each race bring the viewer up close to the action. Competition is fierce in fleet racing. We are in the race with Inky, Matt, Nancy and Phil.

 

Sense the Wind brings to life stories from under-served communities of people with disabilities. A variety of advisory partners anxious to screen the film include: disability organizations, educational institutions, adaptive competitive sports teams and the sailing community. This film provides rich narrative content for viewers whether sighted, blind, vision impaired, disabled or for anyone in search of an inspiring story.

 

In the end, Sense the Wind subtly challenges us to consider what we are willing to do with the abilities that we have and to re-examine our notion of what dis-ability means.

 

Join the gallery in celebrating the strength of these amazing sailors!

 

 

 

“We lived... thanks to a Subaru.”

EverythingWestport.com

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Accident photos courtesy of the Westport police.

 

A currently running Subaru car commercial will be a stark reminder for 48-year-old Kyle Gates who slammed his 2013 Subaru Impreza sports car into a tree last Saturday morning on White Oak Run, splitting the car in half, seriously injuring himself and 59-year-old Michael Vickers.

 

The Boston area men were traveling northeast on the dark, narrow, tree-lined lane around 1:23 a.m. when Gates lost control of the vehicle, crashing sideward into a tree.

 

Above: the front half of the car where the passengers were seated. Photo | Westport Police

 

The speed limit on the road is 35 mph and they were no skid marks on the road.

 

Above: heading northeast on White Oak Run. The red arrow points to the crash site tree shown below.

Photo | EverythingWestport.com

 

“Speed was a factor” said Westport Detective Antonio Cestodio, and “charges are likely.”

 

Wreckage from the vicious accident was strewn all over the crash site, leading first responders to initially believe that multiple vehicles were involved.

 

Arriving police found the seriously injured Gates wandering around the crash scene while Vickers was trapped in the front piece of the car, requiring firefighters to use the ‘jaws of life’ to free him.

 

The Subaru Impreza failed to navigate the curve, and hit a tree in Westport before the car split into two pieces, the second piece ending almost 100 feet away in Dartmouth.

 

Gates and Vickers were taken to Rhode Island Hospital where Gates was later discharged, and Vickers listed in serious condition.

 

Miraculously, they lived.

 

They were saved by their seatbelts, Detective Cestodio said.

 

The accident remains under investigation

 

 

Above left: the rear section of the Subaru ended up 100 feet from the initial impact with the tree shown above, ending up in Dartmouth.

Left photo | Westport police                     Right photo | EverythingWestport.com

 

Above: another view of the rear half of the 2013 Subaru Impreza sports car. Photo | Westport police

 

 

 

Harold J. "Jack" Sisson, Jr., 61, Westport.

EverythingWestport.com

Sunday, November 1, 2015

 

 

Harold J. "Jack" Sisson, Jr., 61, of Westport died Thursday, October 29, 2015 at Charlton Memorial Hospital. He was the husband of Ingrid A. (Williams) Sisson.

 

Born in Fall River, son of Alice M. (Allen) Laberge and her husband Larry of Westport and the late Harold J. Sisson, Sr., he had lived in Westport for most of his life. An avid hunter and fisherman, he enjoyed working on trucks and motorcycles, but most of all, he loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and his wife, who was his best friend.

 

Including his mother and wife, survivors include a son: Harold J. "Jack" Sisson, III of Westport; a daughter: Michelle A. Aguiar and her husband Stephen of Westport; 3 sisters: Carol Motta of RI, Faye Roies of Westport and Alice Sisson of Westport; 4 grandchildren: Kellee, Jack, Dylan and Benjamin; and several nieces and nephews.

 

Calling hours to which relatives and friends are invited will be Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at the Potter Funeral Home from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 

Private funeral arrangements will be held at the convenience of the family.

 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.

 

 

 

Southcoast Health is 1 of 3 hospitals in New England to offer an implantable device as an alternative to long-term blood thinners.

The Watchman Devise is a new option for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation that has been shown to reduce patientsrisk of stroke. 

EverythingWestport.com

Sunday, November 1, 2015

 

New Bedford, Mass. — Southcoast Health announced today that it is just the third hospital in New England to offer a surgical implant that will allow certain atrial fibrillation patients to stop taking blood thinning medications that are currently used to prevent stroke. Thousands of patients in the region stand to benefit from this new procedure.

 

The newly approved Watchman Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Device, from Boston Scientific, reduces the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation (AFib) patients by preventing the heart from producing blood clots. A heart with AFib beats irregularly and as a result can produce clots, which is why doctors prescribe blood thinning drugs such as Coumadin or Warfarin.

 

“Patients who undergo a procedure to implant Watchman have a much lower risk of major strokes related to bleeding and also had significantly lower mortality at long-term follow up when compared to Coumadin therapy for stroke reduction with atrial fibrillation,” said Dr. Nitesh Sood, electrophysiologist at Southcoast Health.

 

The procedure will benefit patients with non-valvular AFib who prefer a non-drug alternative to blood thinners. They can include individuals who take part in sports or other activities that carry the risk of injury and thus excessive bleeding.

 

Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Mass. and Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, N.H. are the only other hospitals in New England to offer the treatment. Watchman is not currently available at any facility in Boston or Rhode Island.

 

How it works:

 

The Watchman Device closes off an area of the heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA) to keep harmful blood clots from the LAA from entering the blood stream and potentially causing a stroke. By closing off the LAA, the risk of stroke is reduced, and over a span of about three months on average, patients are able to stop taking blood thinners such as Warfarin or Coumadin. 

 

Above: The Watchman Devise is a new option for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation that has been shown to reduce patientsrisk of stroke; and over a span of about three months on average, patients are able to stop taking blood thinners such as Warfarin or Coumadin.

 

“The big advantage is if the procedure goes well, you have the ability of getting someone off blood thinners and reducing their risk of stroke," said Dr. Adam Saltzman, cardiologist at Southcoast Health.

 

Implanting the Watchman Device is a one-time, minimally-invasive procedure that usually lasts about an hour. Following the procedure, patients typically stay in the hospital for 24 hours.

 

“The successful launch of the Watchman program at Southcoast was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the electrophysiology program, the anesthesia program, the CCU/CVICU staff, our cardiothoracic surgery program, and the structural heart program,” said Dr. Margaret Ferrell, Physician-in-Chief of Cardiovascular Services at Southcoast Health.

 

The device was approved by the FDA in March, but has been available internationally since 2009. As of March, more than 10,000 patients worldwide had been implanted with the device. The approval was based on a clinical trial program that included more than 2,400 patients. The studies showed the device reduced the risk of stroke. A meta-analysis of the randomized studies found patients who received the device had reductions in hemorrhagic stroke, disabling stroke and cardiovascular death compared with the warfarin group.

 

About Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a heart condition where the upper chambers of the heart (atrium) beat too fast and with irregular rhythm (fibrillation). AFib is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, currently affecting more than five million Americans. Twenty percent of all strokes occur in patients with AFib, and AFib-related strokes are more frequently fatal and disabling. The most common treatment to reduce stroke risk in patients with AFib is blood-thinning warfarin medication. Despite its proven efficacy, long-term warfarin medication is not well-tolerated by some patients and carries a significant risk for bleeding complications. Nearly half of AFib patients eligible for warfarin are currently untreated due to tolerance and adherence issues.

 

About Watchman™ Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device

The Watchman Device is a permanent implant designed to close the left atrial appendage in the heart in an effort to reduce the risk of stroke. With all medical procedures there are risks associated with the implant procedure and the use of the device. The risks include but are not limited to accidental heart puncture, air embolism, allergic reaction, anemia, anesthesia risks, arrhythmias, AV (Arteriovenous) fistula, bleeding or throat pain from the TEE (Trans Esophageal Echo) probe, blood clot or air bubbles in the lungs or other organs, bruising at the catheter insertion site, clot formation on the Watchman Closure Device, cranial bleed, excessive bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, groin puncture bleed, hypotension, infection/pneumonia, pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, pulmonary vein obstruction, renal failure, stroke, thrombosis and transient ischemic attack. In rare cases death can occur. Be sure to talk with your doctor so that you thoroughly understand all of the risks and benefits associated with the implantation of the Watchman Device.

 

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit: www.bostonscientific.com.

 

 

 

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