The Wellness Connection
T he New s le t te r o f the Ni a g a r a We lln e s s Co nne c ti on Ce n te r
Vol. 1, No 9
Spring 2016
The Wellness Connection Center opens a Walk-in Clinic!
Starting May 31 the Wellness Connection Center’s Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic will
have walk-in hours for any new client seeking an appointment.
New clients can expect the chance to be linked to wraparound services that
will vastly improve their quality of life. Each new client will be directed to
meet with our care coordinator for an initial consultation and provided
with immediate assistance. Our care coordinator will be available during
business hours to help new and existing clients with obtaining a counselor,
a primary care doctor, insurance enrollment, care management referrals
and more! After the initial consultation with the care coordinator, all new
clients will be immediately linked to a therapist and from there forward provided with an appointment with a psychiatrist based on need. For more information, please call (716) 278-4541.
Who:
Any person aged 18+ seeking outpatient behavioral health services.
What:
A walk-in clinic with daily hours dedicated to assisting new patients in
outpatient behavioral health treatment.
When:
Monday - Thursday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. - 1:00p.m.
starting May 31
Where:
The Wellness Connection Center, located at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical
Center, sixth floor, Niagara Falls, NY 14302. The number to call for more
information is (716) 278-4541.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
It is okay to not be okay.
May is Mental Health Awareness
Month. Did you know that 1 in
5 Americans will be affected by a
mental health condition in their
lifetime?
Every American is affected by
mental illness in one way or another throughout their lifetime,
often due in part to situations
that occur with their friends and
family.
Mental health is a topic that is
oftentimes taboo and people are
afraid to ask or seek help. Try to
think of your mental health just as
you would your physical health:
Would you be embarrassed to see
a cardiologist if you had heart
problems?
Part of meatal health awareness is
normalizing the symptoms of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia
and other stress related disorders.
If you or your loved one is looking
for someone to talk to, the Wellness Connection Center can help!
Call (716) 278-4541 for an appointment.
YMCA offers additional hours for classes
Starting in June, fitness classes offered
at the Wellness Connection Center will
be offered with more diverse hours.
Tuesdays from 10-11 a.m. Yoga classes
will be offered and from 11 a.m.-12
noon a Body Conditioning class will be
offered. Every Thursday from 1-2 p.m.
an additional Yoga class will be offered.
All classes are facilitated by a licensed
personal trainer through the YMCA of
Buffalo Niagara.
Mary Shaw is the Personal Trainer who
will be facilitating the free fitness classes at the Wellness Connection Center.
Classes are FREE to anyone age 18 and
older.
Mary is an Active Older Adult Coordinator for YMCA Buffalo Niagara and
has worked for the Y since 1997. A
Certified Personal Trainer through
AFAA, she is also certified to teach
several group exercise classes such as
SilverSneakers Classic, Circuit, Yoga
and Cardio, and Les Mills
BodyPump. Mary is also certified to
teach healthy living programs like
LiveStrong for cancer survivors, Growing Up Fit (a parent/child program to
help battle youth obesity), and Diabetes
Prevention. Mary has a well rounded
fitness background that will benefit a
wide variety of ages and fitness levels!
For more information regarding fitness
programming offered at the Wellness
Connection Center, please call (716)
278-4820.
Caregiver Support at the Wellness Center
By David Spagnolo
Have you had a chance to think about your own life lately? Can you think of the last time you’ve gone out to do something that you enjoy? Is your schedule at all flexible for you to take care of yourself?
If your answer to any or all of these questions is no, chances are you are a caregiver.
Many of us have found ourselves taking care of our elderly, physically impaired or mentally challenged loved ones.
Whether you are caring for a parent, spouse, sibling, grandparent, friend, or neighbor you take on the role as caregiver
as a form of repayment for the positive influences they’ve had on your life. This is a tremendous responsibility that can
be rewarding, yet stressful.
When you’re a caregiver, you worry about things such as: Did they take their pills today? Have they eaten anything?
When is their next doctor’s appointment? You become so consumed in taking care of others that you forget something
else that is very important – to take care of yourself.
If this sounds like you, believe me, you’re not alone.
As much as we never want to say that taking care of our loved ones is an obligation or a burden, the truth is that no
matter what word you use it demands a great deal of effort. It can take a toll on you physically, emotionally and even
financially.
Please don’t allow the demands to overwhelm you! Help is certainly available. For the first time ever, a class called
“Powerful Tools for Caregivers” will be offered in Niagara Falls. This class is specifically geared toward you, the caregiver.
In this class, you will learn to reduce stress, balance your life, increase your ability to make tough decisions and locate
helpful resources throughout the community.
Anyone is welcome to take this class, but you must sign up in advance. It will be held at the Niagara Wellness Connection Center at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. For more information or to register, please call 858-2177.
Please make sure to take care of yourself. As you know better than most, others are counting on you!
David Spagnolo is project manager of Get Well/Stay Well, a program that integrates primary care with mental health counseling and
senior support services at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center’s Summit Family Health Center.
Page 2
The Wellness Connection
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Offers Nutrition Classes at the
Wellness Connection Center run
by a Registered Dietitian.
Eat Smart NY!
Meet Benjamin Glurich
Benjamin Glurich is the SNAP Nutrition Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County and
the Eat Smart New York program. Ben is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a BS in Dietetics and Nutrition
from Buffalo State College.
Benjamin is involved in the local community as well, serving as public policy co-chair with the Western New York
Dietetic Association, where he works at raising awareness of the nutrition and dietetics profession and the local
dietetics professionals’ concerns to local political leaders in the interest of promoting public health. Ben also
works with Kenmore Tonawanda Meals on Wheels, serving on their volunteer board of directors and assisting
with decision making to help clients receive the best possible service and nutrition.
The classes Ben teaches at the Wellness Connection Center focus on healthy eating, portion sizes, education on
food labels, exercise and weight control, planning healthy meals on a tight budget, basic cooking and food safety,
smart shopping, fruits and vegetables, and healthy snacks and beverages.
The goals of the Eat Smart New York program are to: eat more fruits and vegetables, drink fewer sugar-sweetened
beverages, exercise more and balance calories eaten as part of a healthy lifestyle.
The classes offered at the Wellness Connection Center are evidence-based education. Eat Smart NY Class is
offered here every Wednesday from 3 - 4 p.m.
May 2016 Topics include: Food Labeling, Portion Distortion, The Power of Protein and Food Safety for Summer.
All classes include free cooking demonstrations – come to taste test whole grain trail mix, fruit and yogurt parfaits,
15-minute chili, baked potato salad and more!
Cornell University Cooperative Extension-Niagara County is located at 1522 Main St., Niagara Falls and has several community programs regarding nutrition, energy conservation, youth development, horticulture and natural resources.
Meet Joyce Sconiers: Wellness Connection Center Care Coordinator
As the Wellness Connection Center Care Coordinator, Joyce is available to assist anyone
who is interested in linking to Outpatient Behavioral Health or Primary Care services at
the Wellness Connection Center. She is playing a vital role in our new walk in-clinic and
assessing clients as they present to our door for help.
If you are interested in counseling, primary care, care management or any of our free
health and wellness classes, please contact Joyce at (716) 278-4827.
Page 3
The Wellness Connection
Primary Care at the Wellness Connection Center
We are pleased to announce that our Primary Care Practice at
the Wellness Connection Center has continued to grow.
Rajinder Bajwa, M.D., and Kathleen Ventry, N.P., continue to
take new patients. We strive to provide integrated outpatient
behavioral health and primary care services all at one location.
Please contact (716) 278-4820 to schedule a timely appointment.
The Primary Care Center is staffed by
Rajinder Bajwa, M.D. (top) and
Kathleen Ventry, N.P. (bottom)
Feeling Alone? Need Help Coping?
Niagara Wellness
Connection Center
Having trouble concentrating or
adjusting to a major change in your
life? Feeling hopeless or helpless?
We can help.

Your wellness needs
all under one roof
Individual and group therapy

Primary health care

Education programs

Financial and insurance assistance

Fitness activities
A special place just for you —
supportive, caring
and confidential
Call us at 278-4541
to schedule an appointment
or a tour.
Experience the difference
We care about
your convenience.
Counseling appointments, doctor
appointments …
We care about you —
body and soul.
Fitness classes, smoking cessation
and financial assistance are all
available in our beautiful new
facility.
Our licensed mental health
therapists, physicians, nurses and
staff are here — just for you.
Call 278-4541
We care about your health.
Our Wellness Care Coordinator
will help you identify
the services you need.
The Niagara Wellness
Connection Center is funded
in part by a grant from
Univera Healthcare