Honor for administrator at communication center

MaryBeth B. Richards, the program director at the Warren Center for Communication and Learning, has been chosen to serve as a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Legislative Council.

Richards was elected for a three-year term on the council, which helps set the association’s priorities, approves the organization’s budget and approves policy documents. She was elected to the position by association members from Maine.

“I appreciate the trust my peers have shown in me and look forward to serving on this board,” said Richards, who recently received a second award for continuing education from the association.

The award is a formal recognition of professionals who have demonstrated commitment to lifelong learning by earning seven continuing education units within a 36-month period.

At the Warren Center, Richards supervises the clinical staff and is responsible for promoting staff expertise and development. She also assists with the scheduling of clients and the development of new programs or contracts. As a speech-language pathologist, she has special training in oral-motor, pre-speech and feeding skills of infants and toddlers. She is a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech pathology and audiology.

She is a member of the American Speech-Hearing-Language Association and the Maine Speech-Hearing-Language Association.

The Warren Center for Communication and Learning is Bangor’s oldest not-for-profit speech and hearing center and provides evaluations, therapies and technologies in the areas of speech, language development and hearing to the children and adults of Eastern and Central Maine.

Free talk on Alzheimer’s

BANGOR – Are we all destined to become forgetful as we grow older? Are there steps we can take to prevent those embarrassing “senior moments?” In a stimulating and fun talk, the Maine Alzheimer’s Association will review the most recent research about maintaining cognitive fitness and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease over the life span. The talk will also address memory loss that may be the symptom of a more serious condition.

The free talk will be given 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, at Bangor High School. Pre-registration is required. To register, call 941-6310. Those who cannot attend, but would like information, may call the Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter, any time, toll-free, (800) 660-2871.

Diabetes support group

BANGOR – The St. Joseph Healthcare diabetes support group will meet at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, at the Diabetes and Nutrition Center, Building 1, St. Joseph Healthcare Park, 900 Broadway.

Martha Bankston will be guest speaker on “Natural Diabetes Wellness.”

There is no cost to attend the meeting, and it is open to those with diabetes and their families. Call 262-1836 to obtain more information.

Diabetes study

ORONO – University of Maine food science and human nutrition researchers seek volunteers for a three-month study aimed at assessing whether fruits containing red and purple pigments can reduce the risk of diabetes in adults.

Participants must be between the ages of 21 and 65 and have appropriate body mass indices. Pregnant women, people who smoke or have diabetes, kidney, liver or heart disease, or have high fasting blood glucose values are ineligible, as are people taking medication are dietary supplement to modify blood glucose or insulin levels.

Those involved in the study will be asked to complete a health history, a three-day food record and an additional questionnaire. They also will have their blood drawn five times and will provide four urine samples. Volunteers will be assigned either to a group that consumes two servings per day of foods containing red or purple pigments, or they will be assigned to a control group. Researchers also will track participants’ weight and blood pressure. All information gathered will remain confidential.

Those who complete the study will receive $300, along with free laboratory analyses and information that may lead to reduced risk for developing diabetes. For more information, call Amy Henderson at 581-1733.

Lung association award

State Rep. Sean Faircloth of Bangor received the Maine Lung Association Patient Advocacy Award Sept. 26 at the South Portland Marriot during the association’s annual meeting. Faircloth accepted the award in honor of the late Viola Caron, a senior citizen living in a trailer park, whose suggestion resulted in legislation which Faircloth sponsored to secure energy bill discounts for low-income oxygen machine users.

“I’m honored to accept this award in memory of the late Viola Caron who suggested this law,” said Faircloth. “It was a long fight. I’m sorry Viola is not be here to see this day. It is important that low-income seniors and others with pulmonary disabilities are aware that they might be able to cut their energy bill. The PUC has yet to implement this new law, but it should be soon. Viola Caron did not live to benefit from this law, but, because of her, many Mainers with pulmonary disabilities will be helped.”

Faircloth said, “Melanie Hurlburt of Penquis CAP gave me the background data supporting Viola’s concern. Melanie’s information convinced me this problem was widespread and something had to be done.”

Faircloth’s bill, LD 563, An Act to End Discrimination against Persons with Pulmonary Disabilities in Northern and Eastern Maine, directs the Public Utilities Commission to create a discount for low-income disabled people using high-wattage oxygenators under a doctor’s orders.

Until now, only Central Maine Power had a discount program that adequately benefits low-income people, including oxygen machine users.

“There are elderly people using their oxygen machines sparingly because they can’t afford their electric bills,” Faircloth said. “Seniors in rural and small town Maine should not have to turn off doctor-prescribed oxygen machines in order to pay for food.”

The Public Utilities Commission estimates that a disabled oxygenator-user with an annual income of $10,000 would pay about $900 per year as a CMP customer, but $2,000 as a Bangor Hydro customer.

Faircloth’s bill could save direct oxygenator-users as much as $500 to $800 annually.

Further, the PUC states that the discount program would not be likely to raise rates, since fewer than 1,000 people would meet the qualifications of the bill.