Leaders in the Community

Through this partnership with the First Congregational Church of Greenwich, a GH registered nurse serves as an educator and liaison between the church and hospital and promotes access to community resources. The Parish Nurse conducts screenings, coordinates support groups and blood drives and provides health education and confidential health counseling services to more than 1,000 parishioners. The nurse collaborates with the church’s Wellness Committee to offer educational programs on healthy lifestyles and a wide variety of health topics, including injury prevention, bone health, stroke and heart attack awareness and stress reduction. The nurse also helps members navigate Medicare enrollment plans. Parishioners are referred to the church’s Caring Committee to assist those who are homebound or experiencing illness or loss. Additionally, the Parish Nurse assists with referrals to hospital and community resources, such as outpatient services, labs, medical specialists, home care agencies and other organizations.

About 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the United States have obesity and many others are overweight, increasing their risk of serious health problems. Greenwich Hospital’s Kids in the Kitchen program is designed to meet goals of the federal Healthy People 2030 initiative, which focuses on healthy eating and physical activity to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Kids in the Kitchen was developed by Kathy Carley-Spanier, MS, BSN, RN, FACHE, director of Greenwich Hospital Community Health. The hospital works with the Carver Center in Port Chester, NY, and the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich CT, local youth organizations that provide after-school activities and services for low-income children. Registered nurses, a chef and a registered dietitian conduct interactive health education and nutrition lessons, followed by demonstrations and hands-on preparation of healthy meals and snacks. Each week, the children are given recipes and ingredients to make healthy foods with their families. The program promotes health and wellness by empowering youth to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Each year in the U.S. nearly 1,000 bicyclists die, and more than 130,000 are injured. Children ages 15 and under accounted for 59% of all bicycle-related injuries in emergency departments. Greenwich Hospital’s Community Health Department collaborated with police departments, bike clubs, the YMCA and other community organizations to conduct bike safety programs at different fairs, reaching hundreds of community members. The programs cover safety topics such as using headlights, wearing properly fitting helmets, obeying traffic signs and using hand signals. Giveaways include reflectors and bike safety coloring books.

In 2023, Community Health at Greenwich Hospital conducted the Port Chester High School Healthcare Careers Educational Program – a unique initiative targeting Latino students. Regional demographic data show a large and growing Spanish-speaking population in Greenwich Hospital’s service area. Nationwide, Latinos encounter barriers when accessing health care due to a shortage of bilingual healthcare professionals skilled in and sensitive to cultural diversity and norms. Kathy Carley-Spanier, RN, director of Greenwich Hospital’s Community Health Department, along with registered nurses and other healthcare professionals developed the Healthcare Careers program and are part of the interdisciplinary team that conducted it. Six Port Chester HS students participated, learning about careers such as laboratory technician, certified nursing assistant, physical or respiratory therapist, nurse, physician and pharmacist. They also learned about patient and workplace safety, service excellence, respect, effective communication, infection control and other key components of working in health care. During a tour of Greenwich Hospital, students visited the John and Andrea Frank SYN:APSE Simulation Center, learning how to perform an electrocardiogram, take vital signs and perform hands-only CPR.