Ridgefield Answer Book: Health

How can I find a good family doctor?

You may call the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association at 438-5555 for a list of area physicians. However, the association is unable to make a recommendation. Area hospitals will also offer referrals for affiliated doctors. For Norwalk Hospital, call 852-2609 or visit norwalkhosp.org; for Danbury Hospital, call 7797-7001 or visit danburyhospital.org.

Do any doctors take walk-in patients?

There are none in town. In Wilton there is Wilton Medical Walk In Clinic (834-8885) at 35 Danbury Road.

In Norwalk, there’s Primary Medical Care (849-7777/pmcc-ohc.com) at 345 Main Avenue.

What does the health department do?

The Ridgefield Health Department ensures the health and safety of the public by providing preventative, educational, and regulatory services. It is staffed by Director of Health Edward Briggs, and Deputy Director of Health Sharon Antunes. Dr. Clifford Appel serves as a part-time medical adviser who provides technical medical support to the department.

A primary responsibility of the staff is enforcement of the Connecticut Public Health Code. This may include inspecting and approving wells, public swimming pools and bathing areas, septic systems, subdivisions, building additions, daycare centers, schools, housing and lead paint, or complaint investigations. The office also conducts food service establishment inspections, and food-borne illness outbreak investigation, communicable disease follow-up, and emergency response planning. Public health education materials are also provided on a variety of topics such as water treatment, radon, and Lyme disease.

The health department can be reached at 431-2745. The office is in the Town Hall Annex at 66 Prospect Street and is open from 8 to 4, Monday through Friday.

Is there a nursing home in town?

Laurel Ridge Health Care Center, 642 Danbury Road (438-8226/athenahealthcare.com/lr) offers long-term skilled nursing care. Call for information or to schedule a tour.

Quality-related information on nursing homes is available online at medicare.gov.

How can I arrange for home care?

Call the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association at 438-5555 or have your physician or a friend call. For those coming home from the hospital or a rehab facility, the hospital case manager or social worker can call the Ridgefield VNĀ to arrange your home care.

Home care services provided by the Ridgefield VNA include home care nurses, short-term rehab at home, home health aides, home makers, companions, live-ins, senior care management, medical social work services, IV therapy, dietary counseling, travel vaccine consultation/immunizations, home telemonitoring, Lifeline Medical Alert Service, wound care, and palliative care. The association’s Web site is ridgfieldvna.org.

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association also offers Family Care Services for seniors, young families and infants and toddlers. Home health aides will assist with light housekeeping, laundry, bathing, shopping, meal preparation, transportation, companionship, and personal care such as feeding, dressing, bathing and toileting. Call RVNA 438-5555.

Is there a clearinghouse of information on home health care?

Home Health Compare allows consumers to see clinical information about home health agency quality. The service is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is available online at medicare.gov.

What is hospice and palliative care? Who offers these services?

Hospice and palliative care focuses on pain relief, symptom control and comfort for terminally ill patients, allowing them to be cared for where they are most comfortable, usually at home. The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association (438-5555/ridgefieldvna.org) offers palliative care.

Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut, a nonprofit, Medicare-certified agency, serves Ridgefield with three programs. CARES at Home serves patients still seeking curative treatments; the hospice program is for patients with serious, chronic, or life-limiting illnesses; Healing Hearts is a free bereavement program for children and adults. Call 797-1685 or visit regionalhospicect.org.

Laurel Ridge Health Care Center offers palliative care and hospice for its residents. Call 438-8226 for information.

Is there a rehabilitation facility in town?

Laurel Ridge Helath Care Center offers short-term recovery and rehabilitation programs following a full range of surgical procedures and medical diagnoses. Call 438-8226 for details.

Is there a clearinghouse of health services?

Infoline of Southwest Connecticut offers information and referrals on adult day care, nutrition, home care, respite care, health services, mental health, social services, legal services, transportation, financial services, and other topics. Call 211 or visit 211infoline.org.

The Connecticut Self-Help Network is a statewide clearinghouse for all support groups across the state. Its Self-Help Directory lists more than 1,450 local and statewide groups dealing with abuse, addictions, bereavement, disabilities, health, mental health, parenting, and many other stressful life situations. It also has contact information for more than 1,000 national networks. For information, call 203-624-6982.

How does the town help the handicapped?

Carole Konner, the Municipal Agent for the Disabled (431-2754), can provide information on all social services available, including entitlement programs, CONN-PACE, energy assistance, home visits, assessments, and transportation. She also offers referrals for medical, housing, and other social service programs.

Ridgefield also has a Commission for the Disabled, an advocacy group that helps fight for the needs of the disabled. If you have a problem or suggestion, write Chairman Emma Lou Benedict, Commission for the Disabled, Town Hall, 400 Main Street, Ridgefield.

The town uses SweetHART buses that offer door-to-door service and will also go to Danbury; call 748-2511. Ms. Konner issues certification for Sweet-HART buses.

FISH, a volunteer organization, provides transportation to dental and medical appointments in Wilton, Norwalk, Danbury and Ridgefield. Advance notice of two businesses days is required. Be prepared to give detailed information on where, when, and how long (if it is a hospital appointment) the appointment is. A volunteer will contact you directly. Call 438-8044.

When are the local pharmacies open?

Bissell Pharmacy, 23 Governor Street, (438-6600/bissellpharmacy.com) is open 9 to 6 Monday through Friday, Saturdays 9 to 5 and Sundays 9 to 1.

The pharmacy at CVS, 467 Main Street (431-8888/cvs.com) is open 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 to 8 Saturdays and 8 to 6 Sundays .

The pharmacy at Rite Aid in the Copps Hills Plaza (438-7378) is open 8 to 8 Monday through Friday, Saturdays from 9 to 6 and Sundays 9 to 5.

The pharmacy at Walgreens at 46 Danbury Road (894-8744/walgreens.com) is open Monday through Friday from 8 to 10, Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 6.

For 24-hour pharmacies, there are CVS (847-2351) at 235 Main Street and Walgreen’s (845-0457/walgreens.com) at 55 Westport Avenue, both in Norwalk. There is also a Walgreen’s (791-0405) at 75-83 Main Street in Danbury.

How do I get a handicap parking permit or license plate?

You may apply for a permit or disability plates at the Department of Motor Vehicles, 2 Lee Mac Avenue, Danbury; 540 Main Avenue in Norwalk; or the satellite office at 888 Washington Boulevard in Stamford. Applicants must provide proof of disability with form B-225. Call 800-842-8222.

For more information, call the municipal agent for the disabled at 431-2754.

Who organizes blood drives? How can I give?

The American Red Cross (792-8200) needs blood donors all the time. Call to find out when and where a convenient Bloodmobile will be operating. The American Red Cross also need volunteers to help run Bloodmobiles.

Are there CPR classes in town?

The Ridgefield Fire Department (431-2726) offers courses on a regular basis. The Red Cross in Danbury (792-8200) and the Mid-Fairfield County Chapter of the American Red Cross (227-9505) also offer classes. You may also check with Ridgefield Adult Education at 431-9995 or online at ridgefieldschools.org.

Is there an annual health fair in town?

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association hosts a health fair every spring with dozens of free medical screening and information areas for all ages. Call RVNA (438-5555) for details or visit ridgefieldvna.org.

Does Ridgefield have a travel health clinic?

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association has a travel health clinic that offers comprehensive travel consultations/immunizations to travelers age 18 and over.  Call RVNA at 438-5555 for more information.

Are there flu and pneumonia clinics in town?

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association offers flu, pneumonia, and if necessary H1N1 flu (swine flu) shots at several convenient clinics around town. Dates and times will be listed in local papers, on the RVNA Web site, ridgefieldvna.org, or by phone at 438-5555. A flu and pneumonia postcard will be mailed in September. (If you have not received this postcard in the past and would like to be on the mailing list, call 438-5555.) Flu shots will also be available on Election Day at all polling places from 9 to 2.

Pneumonia vaccinations are available at all flu clinics. See ridgefieldvna.org for a complete list of those at risk. Call RVNA at 438-5555 for details.

What about the vaccine for shingles?

The Ridgefield VNA has the shingles vaccine; a single dose is indicated for adults 60 years of age and older. A doctor’s prescription and appointment are required. There is a fee. Call 438-5555.

What vaccines are available for young adults?

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association offers meningococcal vaccinations during clinics held in the summer. Clinics are geared towards college bound freshmen who are at a modestly increased risk of this disease. The CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend this vaccine for all adolescents beginning at age 11-12. Call RVNA at 438-5555.

The Ridgefield VNA also has human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for girls  9-18 at its Well Child Clinic. HPV vaccinations are available for women ages 18-26 during regular business hours with a prescription and an appointment. The CDC  recommends all girls 11-12 years of age get this vaccine. It is also recommended for girls and women 13-26 who have not already received it. There is a fee.  Call 438-5555 for details.

Are young children screened for hearing or sight problems?

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association offers preschool vision and hearing screenings during the Annual Health Fair held in the spring. The 2010 fair will be Saturday, March 27.

Are there local well-child clinics?

Well child, sports, camp, and school physicals and required immunizations are offered through the year at the RVNA’s Well Child Clinic for children from newborn through age 18. The cost is $50 including all required immunizations with a sliding scale available. Appointments are necessary; call RVNA at 438-5555.

Is there help for new mothers?

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association offers a maternal child care program for new moms. A newborn assessment, a daytime support hotline and help with feeding, bathing, dressing as well as light housekeeping and meal preparation are some of the services offered. For more information call RVNA at 438-5555.

Is there free blood pressure screening in town?

The Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association has a free blood pressure clinic on the first Monday of each month from 9:30 to 11 at Ballard Green, the first Thursday of each month from noon to 1:30 at Founders Hall, the third Monday of each month from 2 to 3 at the Recreation Center, and the third Wednesday of each month from 1 to 2 at the RVNA. Call the RVNA at 438-5555 for information; no appointment is necessary.

How about cholesterol screenings?

Free cholesterol screenings are offered each year during the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association’s Annual Health Fair. For information call RVNA 438-5555.

What health-related support groups are there?

Al-Anon and CODA meet at the Ridgefield VNA on a weekly basis.  Call 438-5555 for a schedule. The Lyme, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia Support Group meets the second Thursday of each month from noon to 1, at the Ridgefield VNA office. Call Jennifer Reid at 431-0462.

Periodically, Regional Hospice will hold a bereavement support group in town. Call 797-1685, ext. 37 for information.

There are many other support groups in Ridgefield and surrounding towns. Check with Norwalk and Danbury Hospitals, the American Cancer Society (563-0740) or call Mary Ann Baldwin, director of social services, at 431-2777.

Call Infoline at 800-203-1234 for a list of statewide support groups and agencies that provide assistance.

What is SPHERE?

SPHERE Inc. (Special People Housing Education Recreation Employment) is a not-for-profit corporation that develops and promotes programs that enable adults with disabilities in Ridgefield to be independent and have meaningful lives. For information about the group, e-mail Valerie Jensen at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit spherect.org.

Where can I find information about cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and support services?

The American Cancer Society’s 24-hour, information line, 1-800-ACS-2345 and Web site, cancer.org, can help anyone better understand a cancer diagnosis. The American Cancer Society provides free rides to-and-from cancer treatment, one-on-one personal support for breast cancer patients, and free wigs and beauty classes to help women with the side effects of treatment. Volunteers are always needed for these programs; call 1-800-889-3340 and press 3 to volunteer or for more information.

Where can I find free transportation to-and-from my cancer treatments?

The American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program provides free transportation for cancer patients to-and-from their treatment. Call 1-800-889-3340 and press 3 for information. Volunteer drivers are also needed.

Are there substance abuse treatment centers around here?

MCCA (Midwestern CT Council on Alcoholism), with an office in the Richard E. Venus Municipal Building, offers residential and outpatient programs, assessments and referrals. Call 438-8680. The main office is at 38 Old Ridgebury Road in Danbury. Call 792-4515. The Web site is mccaonline.com. There is an adolescent residential treatment program at 57 West Rocks Road in Norwalk (847-4814).

Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan (800-899-4455/silverhillhospital.org) has inpatient programs for addictive disorders.

St. Vincent’s Behavioral Health Services, formerly Hall-Brooke (277-1251/hallbrooke.org) has inpatient programs at its Westport location. Outpatient services are available at Hall-Brooke in Norwalk.

Norwalk Hospital has a wide range of mental health and substance abuse services on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. Call 852-2988.

Four Winds Hospital in Cross River, N.Y. (914-763-8151) offers the Choices program.

What type of help is available for the mentally ill and their families?

The Ridgefield Visiting Nursing Association has a psychiatric nurse who is available to  provide psycho-social support, counseling and medication management at a patient’s home. Call the RVNA at 438-5555.

Family and Children’s Aid, 75 West Street, Danbury, offers a number of services including a mobile emergency psychiatric service with both over-the-phone crisis help and treatment workers who can travel to a person’s home or other location to manage psychiatric emergencies in children up to age 17. For information, call 748-5689. In a crisis, call 866-543-2774.

Family Center Services (852-2988) offers services in affiliation with Norwalk Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry.

New Heights, a program of Catholic Charities, is a psychosocial rehabilitation program for adults with mental illness at 66 West Street in Danbury. For information, call 794-0819.

Mental health services are also available through these hospitals:

• Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan (866-542-4455/silverhillhospital.org)
• Four Winds Hospital in Cross River, N.Y. (914-763-8151)
• St. Vincent’s Behavioral Health Services in Westport (203-227-1251)
• Danbury Hospital (797-7000)
• Psychiatric Services at Yale, through Yale-New Haven Hospital (800-275-9253)

For information about supervised apartments or for consultations, call the Mental Health Association of Connecticut’s Supported Living Community (797-8621 or 798-2527). The association has a list of support groups and self-help groups throughout the state; call 800-842-1501 or visit online at mhact.org.

The Care Network, a group of three area health care agencies, offers treatment, counseling and help in finding community resources; call 800-898-HOME.

Director of Social Services Mary Ann Baldwin (431-2777) can also offer referrals.

Where can I get help for an eating disorder?

Four Winds Hospital in Cross River, N.Y. (914-763-8151), offers inpatient and outpatient services with group and individual therapy. The Wilkins Center for Eating Disorders (531-1909/wilkinscenter.com) in Greenwich offers outpatient care. Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan (866-542-4455/silverhillhospital.org) offers inpatient and transitional living programs.

The Renfrew Center of Connecticut in Wilton (800-RENFREW/renfrewcenter.com) offers an intensive outpatient program for young people and adults with eating disorders. The center also offers nutritional counseling and support groups.

Is there a therapeutic riding program?

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding (845-669-8235/pegasustr.org) is based in Brewster, N.Y. but offers programs at horse farms throughout Fairfield County. Pegasus helps bring the therapeutic benefits of horseback riding to handicapped people of all ages.

Should I worry about Lyme disease here?

Lyme disease, spread by blacklegged or deer ticks, is prevalent. The Ridgefield Health Department’s new B.L.A.S.T. Lyme Disease prevention program encourages residents to take precautions on a daily basis. The most effective steps every family can take include bathing or showering after outdoor activity, looking for ticks and rashes, applying repellents to clothing and skin, spraying the perimeter of the yard and treating pets as the veterinarian recommends.

Products containing DEET will repel ticks and decrease the chances of a tick bite. Studies suggest that for blacklegged ticks, DEET concentrations around 30% to 40% may be necessary for adequate protection. Several products contain 0.5% permethrin which is for use only on clothing or other fabrics. Permethrin works primarily by killing ticks on contact and provides a high level of protection. Safety questions should be directed to the National Pesticide Information Center at 1-800-858-7378 or npic.orst.edu. Complete information on tick-borne disease prevention and tick management is available online in the Tick Management Handbook provided by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at ct.gov/caes.

If you do find a tick on your body, it should be removed immediately with a fine tipped tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Engorged ticks (those that have been feeding on a person and contain blood) may be submitted at the health department for free testing by the state. Ticks should be submitted in a zip-lock bag with name and phone number. Residents are encouraged not to wait for results before consulting with their physician.

If you notice any questionable or expanding red rash, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, fever and/or chills, muscle and/or joint pain or other flu-like symptoms, see a doctor immediately. Not all people develop the rash. Timely treatment is important. Left untreated, Lyme disease infection can worsen and lead to joint swelling, neurological, cardiac and other serious complications. Tests are most accurate four to six weeks after infection.

Other infections are also carried by the blacklegged ticks in this area. Anaplasmosis (formerly known as Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis) symptoms include high fever, headache, chills, malaise, muscle and joint pain, nausea, and vomiting. Acute weight loss, low platelet count, and a low white blood cell count can also occur. Babesiosis is a malaria-like illness with symptoms from mild flu-like illness to severe, life-threatening disease. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, chills, sweats, headache and muscle pain beginning one to six weeks after the bite. The disease can be severe or fatal in the elderly, the immune-suppressed and people without spleens. One tick may carry multiple infections.

Where can I get more details on Lyme disease?

Visit the Town of Ridgefield Health Department Web site at ridgefieldct.org or call 431-2745 for complete information on the B.L.A.S.T. Lyme Disease program and related information sources. The town also has a Lyme Disease Task Force to address community needs. It holds an annual spring seminar on Lyme disease. For information, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

CVS on Main Street has a special Lyme disease display.

Is there a local Lyme disease support group?

The Ridgefield Lyme Disease, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Support Group meets the second Thursday of each month from noon to 1 at the Visiting Nurse Association offices at 90 East Ridge in the Venus Building. For information, call Jennifer Reid at 431-0462 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For directions, go to ridgefieldvna.org and click the About Us tab.

What is rabies? How prevalent is it in this area?

Rabies is a fatal disease caused by a virus that travels through the body to the brain via the nervous system. Once it reaches the brain, it causes encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, which results in neurological damage and cannot be treated.  In April 1991 the first two cases of rabid raccoons in Connecticut were confirmed in Ridgefield. Since then, every city and town in the state has had confirmed cases of rabies, a total of 5,926 cases through Aug. 7, 2007. Raccoons, skunks, and bats are the most common carriers of the rabies virus, however there was an incident with a rabid woodchuck, also known as a groundhog, on the Wilton-Weston border.

The best way to protect yourself against rabies is to not approach or handle wild animals (dead or alive) or strange pets and to keep your own pets vaccinated (see Animals section).

If you believe you have been exposed to rabies, consult a doctor immediately and report the incident to the local health department (431-2745) and animal control officer (431-2711). Because the rabies virus is carried in saliva, the wound should be washed thoroughly with soap and water. This decreases the chance of infection. If possible, the animal should be captured for testing. The Veterinary Medical Association suggests trapping the animal under a large box, but do not try to handle it. Because the testing procedure for rabies involves dissecting the brain, the animal must be euthanized in order to be tested.

Once rabies has been contracted, it is nearly always fatal. (There have been a very, very few cases of survivors.) However, prophylactic treatment in the form of a series of injections is available for people who have been exposed to the virus.

What is West Nile virus?

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause encephalitis. Since mosquitoes can breed and reproduce in any stagnant water that lasts more than four days, people can best protect themselves by eliminating any such pools of stagnant water around their homes, such as birdbaths, old tires, kiddy pools, and clogged gutters. Minimize outdoor activities between dusk and dawn. Consider the use of mosquito repellent. Approved repellents include DEET, Picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus. For information on insect repellents and their active ingredients, go to the National Pesticide Information Center at npic.orst.edu or cdc.gov.

Viral encephalitis may not have any symptoms at all; mild cases may include a slight fever and/or headache. Severe infections are marked by a rapid onset of a high fever, head and body aches, and usually occur five to 15 days after exposure. There is no specific treatment for viral infections, other than to alleviate symptoms and provide supportive care. Those who may be most susceptible to encephalitis are infants, the elderly and people with damaged immune systems.

For more information, call the health department at 438-2745.

Does the town spray for West Nile virus?

The town places a larvicide into catch basins, which prevents mosquito larva from developing into adults.

Where is smoking banned?

Smoking is banned in all public buildings in Ridgefield. A state law bans smoking in all restaurants, bars, health care institutions, schools, retail stores, elevators, and private businesses.

How often does the town inspect local restaurants for good sanitation?

The town inspects restaurants quarterly and whenever there is a major change or opening at an eatery.

Do we have an Alcoholics Anonymous chapter?

There are many AA meetings in Ridgefield and Ridgebury. For a schedule, call 778-6777, the Web site is ct-aa.org. Many alcohol abuse hotlines are listed in the phone book. Al-Anon, for families of alcoholics, and Alateen, for young people affected by a drinking problem, can be reached at 1-888-825-2666 or 203-206-0599. The Web site is ct-al-anon.org. The Alcoholism Council of Midwestern Connecticut in Danbury (792-4515) has several programs at its White Street office.

My child just ate some strange berries and is getting sick. Whom do I call?

A national number — 800-222-1222 — will connect you with a local poison control center. The National Poison Control Hotline also has a Web site, www.1-800-222-1222.info.

The poison control number at Danbury Hospital is 797-7300. At Norwalk Hospital, call 800-343-2722.

In an emergency, when fast medical assistance is required, call 911 and explain the problem.

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