Health
Darien Senior Center hosts wellness presentations
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Oct 27, 2009 - 11:27 AM

The Darien Senior Center, located at 30 Edgerton Court in Darien, will be hosting a Norwalk Hospital lecture series beginning in November. The series is presented as a community service.

Exercise and Your Health

The first program in the community health series at The Darien Senior Center is "Exercise and Your Health" by Paul J. Gagne, MD, RVT, FACS, of Darien, a vascular surgeon who is in private practice with Southern Connecticut Vascular Center, LLC. This program will take place on Monday, November 2, at 12:30 p.m. at the Darien Senior Center.

Dr. Gagne will discuss how important it is to exercise to keep our bodies healthy. Not only does exercise help the body relax, improve sleep, and increase flexibility of muscles and joints, exercise also helps to keep the heart healthy. While shedding light on problems that can develop from a lack of exercise, he will also caution people to consult their physicians before starting an exercise plan. The program will conclude with a question and answer session.

Certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Gagne has Certification of Added Qualifications in Peripheral Vascular Surgery.

He holds a Bachelor's Degree, summa cum laude, from Holy Cross College and received his M.D. Degree from New York University College of Medicine, where he was the Valedictorian of his class.

He completed his general surgery training at New York University Hospital and Bellevue Medical Center. He then served as a general surgeon for two years in the United States Navy before pursuing a two-year Vascular Surgery Fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Upon completion of his vascular surgery training, Dr. Gagne was stationed at the Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, where he became Head of Vascular Surgery.

Later, Dr. Gagne was recruited to the faculty of NYU School of Medicine, where he was integrally involved in resident and fellow training and translational vascular surgery research. He was awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for his innovative research into angiogenesis for treating Chronic Limb Ischemia. He has presented his findings at numerous national scientific symposiums and has published his work in highly regarded scientific publications including Circulation Research and the American Journal of Pathology.

In his practice with Southern Connecticut Vascular Center, Dr. Gagne focuses on patient care for complex vascular disease. He has a special interest in the new, minimally invasive, endovascular treatments for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, Carotid Artery Disease, Complex Venous Disease and Peripheral Vascular Disease with Limb Threatening Ischemia. Dr. Gagne also has extensive experience in the conventional treatments for these vascular diseases including bypass surgery and carotid endarterectomy. He has received awards for outstanding teaching as well as for clinical excellence.

A Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, Dr. Gagne is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, an officer of the Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society and a member of the Eastern Vascular Surgery Society, Southern Connecticut Vascular Society and the American Venous Forum. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and a Reviewer for several prestigious medical journals.

Coping with Anxiety

Do you find yourself worrying all the time, being afraid in social situations, anticipating your next panic attack, feeling sad, having difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating, or getting headaches for no reason? You may be suffering from anxiety which affects people of all races, ages and economic backgrounds. James R. Cook, LCSW of Westport, a social worker at Norwalk Hospital, will present a program on anxiety on November 9th at 12:30 p.m. at the Darien Senior Center. He will explain why people have anxiety and how to identify the symptoms and cope with anxiety disorders.

At Norwalk Hospital, Mr. Cook works in the Department of Psychiatry and provides individual, group and family therapy. He holds a Master's in Social Work Degree from Fordham University. He also has a Master's Degree in Applied Spiritual Theology from Mt. St. Mary's College, Los Angeles, CA, a Master's of Divinity Degree from St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, CA, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies from St. John's College, Camarillo, CA. He is an Adjunct Professor in the Religious Studies Department at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.

Following his presentation at the Darien Senior Center, there will be a question and answer session.

Oh My Aching Back

"Solutions for Your Aching Back" will be the topic to be discussed by Michael R. Marks, MD, MBA, orthopaedic surgeon, Coastal Orthopaedics and Chief of the Medical Staff at Norwalk Hospital, on November 16th at 12:30 p.m. at the Darien Senior Center. He will talk about the causes, diagnosis and treatment of back pain. His presentation will conclude with questions and answers.

Dr. Marks is internationally recognized for his leadership in orthopaedic surgery. His area of expertise focuses on back pain, hip replacements, total knee replacements, spinal diseases and sports injuries.

Named to "Connecticut's Top Docs, Surgeons," Dr. Marks was also selected to be a member of Strathmore's Who's Who in the Healthcare Industry. This reference directory includes the highest achievers from throughout the country and across the world and recognizes them for achieving notable success in their respective fields. In addition, Dr. Marks has been named to "America's Top Physicians" by Consumers' Research Council of America, a Washington, D.C., based research organization whose purpose is "to educate and assist consumers in obtaining the finest professional services."

Dr. Marks is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is a Past-President of the Connecticut Orthopaedic Society. He completed his orthopaedic residency at George Washington University and completed a Spine Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic in 1988. He received his MBA from the University of Tennessee in 2001. He has lectured locally and nationally and has appeared frequently on television discussing hip replacement, knee replacement, kyphoplasty, osteoporosis, cervical and lumbar diseases, and other orthopaedic issues. A Senior Attending Surgeon at Norwalk Hospital, he has been a team physician for the Weston High School Football Team since 1988.

Dr. Marks is credited with bringing innovative orthopaedic treatments, including Pedicle Screws and Kyphoplasty (a minimally invasive surgical procedure used in treating vertebral fractures caused by osteoporosis), to the Greater Norwalk area. For his pioneering efforts, he has been a two-time winner of the Frank J. Scanlon Award for Surgical Innovation.

Eat Well, Live Well

Barbara Schmidt, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Lifestyle Specialist at Norwalk Hospital, will provide tips during her presentation on "Eat Well, Live Well." This program will be presented at the Darien Senter on Monday, November 30th at 12:30 p.m. Eating well, according to Barbara, is more than knowing what to eat, but when to eat. It involves establishing lifestyle changes and avoiding dieting traps. She will explain how "eating well" behaviors strengthen lifestyle changes during her program at The Senior Center.

Ms. Schmidt did her dietetic internship at the New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center & has a Master's degree in Nutrition. She has been on staff at the New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center, was Nutrition Manager at NYU Medical Center, and a nutrition consultant for The American Fitness Institute. Barbara Schmidt is a Nutrition Consultant for Women's Health Care of New England, Personal Training Professionals' in New Canaan, & The Greenwich Department of Health Education & Promotion. She provides medical nutrition therapy to include the treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders and weight control. She has also worked with local health departments and corporations designing and teaching programs in reducing dietary fat intake, lowering blood pressure, weight control, osteoporosis prevention, feeding our children better, and women's nutrition issues, for corporate and community settings.

Medication Safety - Understanding Your Medicines

"Medication Safety" is the final topic in this season's health lecture series sponsored by Norwalk Hospital at The Darien Senior Center. This will take place on Monday, December 7 at 12:30 p.m. Several Norwalk Hospital pharmacists will be on hand to provide important information on what you should know or ask your health care provider about your medications. For example, when it comes to your medications, it is important to be able to recognize side effects and know about potential food or drug interactions. All are invited to attend and ask questions about your specific medicines.

For more information, contact the Norwalk Hospital Community Relations Department at (203) 852-2250, or the Darien Senior Activities Center at (203) 655-1705.

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