Wilton Answer Book
Wilton Answer Book: Health

Jul 19, 2007

How can I find a good doctor for my family?
Norwalk Hospital (852-2609) and Danbury Hospital (797-7001) offer physician referrals by phone or online at norwalkhosp.org or danburyhospital.org. There are also published directories at the Wilton Library. Sometimes, the best references are word of mouth.
Quality-related information on hospitals is available online at medicare.gov.

Do any doctors take walk-in patients?
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.

Are there CPR classes in town?
The Mid-Fairfield County Chapter of the American Red Cross, 36 Church Lane, Westport offers CPR, first aid, and baby-sitting courses in the area. For times and locations, call 227-9505, ext. 29 or visit midfairfieldredcross.org.
Wilton’s Community Emergency Response Team offers extensive emergency training, including CPR with AED (defibrillation), for volunteers. See the chapter on Emergency Services.

What does the town health officer do?
Steven H. Schole, M.P.H., R.S., the director of health and the chief sanitarian (563-0174), is responsible for enforcing state statutes and regulations on septic systems, wells, food service licenses, and other matters of public health, including pest control.

Does Wilton have a nursing home?
Yes. Wilton Meadows Health Care (834-0199/wiltonmeadowshealthcare.org) is at 439 Danbury Road (Route 7), and Lourdes Health Care Center (762-3318) is at 345 Belden Hill Road. In Georgetown there is Meadow Ridge (544-1000/meadowridge.net) at 100 Redding Road.
Quality-related information on nursing homes is available online at medicare.gov.

How can I arrange for home care?
Nursing & Home Care offers skilled nurses; home health aides; physical, occupational and speech therapists; live-in help; shoppers; dietitians; companions; peer counselors; homemakers; medical social workers; a pre-hospice team; case managers; and caregivers providing respite services.  
Nursing & Home Care also provides Assisted Living at Home for those who want help maintaining their independence at home. Services include help with cleaning, dressing, shopping, bathing and companionship. In addition, Nursing & Home Care provides wellness programs, such as health screenings, immunization programs and health education programs.  
For more information, call 762-8958 or 1-800-898-HOME or visit visitingnurse.net.
VNS of Connecticut offers skilled nursing for children and adults; occupational, physical and speech therapy; medical social work; and home health aides as well as many specialty services. Call 838-8621 or visit vnsct.com.

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.

Who provides hospice services to residents?
Mid-Fairfield Hospice, a partner of Nursing & Home Care, helps individuals and their families cope with terminal illnesses in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Services include managing pain and symptoms to provide comfort; helping with personal care such as bathing, dressing and meal preparation; arranging for medical equipment and nutritional guidance; respite support for caregivers; counseling and companionship; spiritual guidance and grief support services. Call 762-8958 or 1-800-898-HOME or visit visitingnurse.net.
From its Norwalk office, VNS of Connecticut offers hospice care for Wilton patients in their homes. For information, call 838-8621 or visit vnsct.com.
Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut also serves Wilton. Call 797-1685.

How can I become a hospice volunteer?
Volunteers are an integral part of a hospice program. Mid-Fairfield Hospice offers volunteer training courses. Volunteers may choose to work with patients and families, or may help in many other ways. Call the Mid-Fairfield Hospice at 762-8958 for details.
VNS of Connecticut offers a free, eight-week training program for adults over 18 who are interested in becoming a hospice volunteer. The program takes place in the Norwalk office at 137 East Avenue. For details, call 366-3821.

Does anyone help the handicapped?
Call the Wilton Department of Social Services at 834-6238 for referrals.

Is there a therapeutic riding program?
Pegasus Therapeutic Riding (356-9504/pegasustr.org) teaches horseback riding to the disabled to improve their mobility and balance, strength, and self-confidence. There are programs in New Canaan, Darien, Greenwich, Easton, Newtown and North Salem, N.Y.

Where are the local pharmacies?
CVS, 93 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton Center (762-5020), is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Stop & Shop  (834-9735) has a pharmacy in its store at 5 River Road. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 to 8, Saturday 9 to 5, Sunday 9 to 3.
The nearest 24-hour pharmacies are in Norwalk. CVS (847-2351) is at 327 Main Avenue and Walgreen’s (845-0457) is at 55 Westport Avenue.

Who organizes blood drives? How can I give?
The Mid-Fairfield County Chapter of the American Red Cross (227-9505) needs blood donors all the time. Call to find out when the next blood drive will be. For an appointment, call 800-GIVE LIFE (448-3543).
A person must be 17 or older, over 110 pounds, and in good health. Many questions will be asked in order to assure the donated blood will be safe. The entire process takes about an hour, which includes questions, blood donation, rest time and snacks for the donor.

Is there a flu clinic in town in the fall?
Nursing & Home Care sponsors community flu clinics in the fall. Call 762-8958 for information or the town’s health department at 563-0174.

Are there any blood pressure screenings?
Nursing & Home Care offers free blood pressure screeings the first Thursday of each month, 11 to noon, at Wilton Senior Center, and the fourth Tuesday of each month, 12:30 to 2, at Village Market. No appointments are necessary.

Can I get a cholesterol test?
Monthly cholesterol screenings take place the second Tuesday of each month, 9 to 11:30, at the Comstock Community Center. The cost is $25 and appointments are required. Call 762-8958, ext. 221.

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 211chttp://pegasustr.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.

Where can I find help for substance abuse?
For information about drug abuse, alcoholism, and treatment centers, call Wilton Social Services (834-6238).
The Mid-Fairfield County Council on Alcoholism in Danbury (MCCA) (792-4515/mccaonline.com) has several inpatient and outpatient programs. It also offers assessment and referral services. There is also a Ridgefield office on Old Ridgebury Road. Call 438-8680.
Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan (800-899-4455/silverhillhospital.org) has inpatient programs for addictive disorders.
Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services in Westport (277-1251/hallbrook.org) has inpatient and outpatient programs.
Norwalk Hospital has a wide range of mental health and substance abuse services on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. Call 852-2988.

Is there an Alcoholics Anonymous chapter?
Yes. The local AA help line is 227-2496, 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. The Web site is ct-al-anon.org.

What type of help is available for the mentally ill and their families?
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill has a Stamford-Greenwich affiliate at 730 Summer Street, Stamford. Call 388-1603.
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 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. Other sources of help include Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan (966-3651); Four Winds Hospital in Cross River, N.Y. (914-763-8151); Hall Brooke Behavioral Health Center in Westport (277-1251).

Where can I get help for an eating disorder?
The Renfrew Center of Southern Connecticut, 436 Danbury Road (834-5020/renfrew.com) offers an intensive outpatient program for young people and adults with eating disorders. The center also offers nutritional counseling and support groups for individuals (adults and adolescents), families, and couples. A free support group meets every Saturday morning at 11. The drop-in group is open to anyone struggling with eating disorders, their families or friends.
The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders is based in Waterbury. Call 203-757-9333 or visit online at anad.org.

Does Overeaters Anonymous meet nearby?
Norwalk Hospital (852-2000/norwalkhosp.org) offers an Overeaters Anonymous support group. For other area groups, check Infoline at 211 or infoline.org.

Where is smoking banned?
Smoking is banned in all public buildings in Wilton. 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 restaurants?
New restaurants are inspected before they are allowed to open. All restaurants are inspected regularly or after a complaint is filed. The state recommends that all full-service restaurants be inspected four times each year.

Should I worry about Lyme disease?
Lyme disease, spread by ticks, is prevalent. The most common carrier is the deer tick, which is about the size of a poppy seed. Take precautions when going in the woods and fields. Use insect repellent, dress in light-colored clothing, roll pant cuffs into socks, wear long sleeves and a hat. Inspect pets that roam daily.
Insect repellents that contain DEET are quite effective against ticks. Follow the label instructions for use and application. Products containing 15% or less DEET are recommended for children, but products containing DEET should not be used on infants.
If you notice a tick bite or any bite around which a redness forms in the shape of a bull’s-eye target, or if you have flu-like symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
Another tickborne disease in this area is ehrlichiosis. Symptoms include 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.

How can I get more information about Lyme disease?
The following Web sites are recommended: ilads.org; columbia-lyme.org; cdc.gov. Color pictures of several variations of the Lyme rash may be viewed at the Lyme Disease Foundation Web site, lyme.org.

Is there a support group for Lyme disease?
Adult and teen groups meet regularly at the Comstock Community Center. For either group, call Yvonne at 762-2437 or e-mail kos1@earthlink.net.

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. During the last 15 years, there has been an outbreak of rabies along the East Coast. Raccoons, skunks, and bats are the most common carriers of the rabies virus, however there was a recent 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).

What should I do if I have been exposed?
Consult a doctor immediately and report the incident to the local health department (563-0174)  and animal control officer (563-0150). 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.

What type of treatment is available for rabies?
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. The procedure involves administering a dose of immunoglobulin, followed by a vaccination. This is succeeded by a series of four injections given in a 28-day period after the initial treatment.

What is West Nile virus?
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause encephalitis. Although most mosquitoes do not transmit the virus, the one most commonly associated with it is the Culex pipiens mosquito, also known as the common house mosquito. These mosquitoes can 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 home, such as birdbaths, old tires, kiddy pools, and clogged gutters. Minimize outdoor activities between dusk and dawn. Consider the use of mosquito repellent.
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 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 treat the symptoms and provide supportive care. Those who may be most susceptible to encephalitis are infants, the elderly and people with damaged immune systems.

Does Wilton have a larvicide program?
Yes, each spring, the town places a larvicide in catch basins on town-owned roads throughout town. The town also provides starter packets of larvicide for homeowners to use on their property on a first-come, first-served basis. For information, call 563-0174.



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