HARWICH — It seems almost everybody on the Lower Cape has a story to share about a friend or family member with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, and there's a growing need for support, counseling and programs. This weekend, a special fundraiser will take place to support the grassroots Alzheimer’s Family Support Center of Cape Cod , which offers a range of services, all free of charge, covering the full range ...

Though it was technically eliminated from the United States in 2000, measles is making a comeback. And public health officials say it’s a reminder of the importance of vaccinations. The pages of the Chatham Monitor from the 1800s show many references to measles, both in its coverage of families who reported cases and in the many elixirs and tonics advertised to treat the disease. Before the development of the ...

HARWICH — Voters will be asked in the annual town meeting to approve a petitioned article to amend a board of health regulation to restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products. The initiative is the work of Monomoy Regional High School students involved in Project Citizen. Project Citizen is part of the eighth grade civic curriculum in which identify social problems and propose means to address them. A coupl...

Think teen vaping is just a passing fad? Think again. The trend, which involves the use of electronic cigarettes or nicotine vaporizers by kids as young as 11, is on the rise, and with it a host of health problems. Though the first tobacco vaporizer hit the market in 1963, their use soared after the mid-2000s when the market was saturated with products. The electronic or e-cigarettes are battery operated, hand...

Organization Marking 40 th Year In the state of Massachusetts almost one in three women has experienced rape, physical violence, and stalking by a partner. Nearly 50 percent of women and 25 percent of men have been the victims of non-rape sexual assault. In 2008 domestic violence was declared a public health emergency in the state. These facts, courtesy of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, are...

HARWICH – The average temperature since January has hovered somewhere around the freezing mark for much of Cape Cod, but that hasn't stopped two intrepid area yoga instructors from plunging into the waters off local beaches each day. But they're not just diving in for the fun of it. Each dip is done in support of Yogis Unite for Recovery Build, coming this June to Monomoy Regional High School. Yoga instructor ...

CHATHAM —  It’s almost impossible to reach adulthood without experiencing loss. Early on, maybe a grandparent has died, maybe a relationship has terminated. As we age, we lose many loved ones and grieve for them. Just as stress can affect the body by tightening your muscles, clenching your stomach, so can grief. So how do we cope with all this sadness and loss? Talking and sharing is one way to cope. Peggy...

When a person is experiencing a mental health crisis, it can sometimes take hours to get professional help to the scene. Thanks to a grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, Bay Cove Human Services will be providing additional staff to respond to after-hours crises between Hyannis and Provincetown. Under its contract with MassHealth, Bay Cove is required to provide emergency services ...

HARWICH — The recreation and youth commission is considering banning smoking on public beaches as well as all parks and recreational facilities in town. Before making a decision, however, the commission will get together with the board of health to determine if a wider ban would be better implemented under that board's jurisdiction. Recreation Director Eric Beebe told the commission last week that a lot of ...

Local fire and rescue departments saw an escalation in calls last year, ranging from 13 percent in Chatham to 15 percent in Orleans and nearly 20 percent in Harwich. Most of the increases were in the number of emergency medical calls fielded by the departments. A major factor, officials say, is the area's aging population; last year's winter storms also contributed to the increase. “The storms certainly did...

ORLEANS — Townspeople are flocking to courses to learn how to “Stop the Bleed.” The monthly sessions given by the fire and rescue department with the support of the Orleans Citizens Forum are already fully booked into the spring. Twenty-five people attended a training Jan. 17 at the senior center, where Fire Chief Anthony Pike explained that the program had originated at the White House in 2015 as a way to r...

CHATHAM — By order of selectmen, town groundskeepers will no longer use glyphosate, the active ingredient in herbicides like Roundup, to control weeds in parks, athletic fields, mulch beds and along walkways. The board’s vote Monday came at the request of Laura Kelley of the group Protect Our Cape Cod Aquifer (POCCA), who has argued against the use of pesticides that might contaminate the region’s shallow gr...

CHATHAM — Finding health insurance coverage isn’t just expensive, it’s confusing. And with news headlines about challenges to the federal Affordable Care Act, it can be all the more confounding. Adding to the stress, there’s a deadline of Jan. 23 for Massachusetts residents to enroll in a new plan or to change plans. There’s a new resource for local families who are trying to get coverage or change plans dur...

HARWICH PORT — Outer Cape Health Services, Inc. held a ribbon cutting at its new community health center Tuesday, making a commitment to providing more all-inclusive health care here and on the Outer Cape. The doors to the new medical center located across from Saquatucket Harbor will be open on Monday morning with a commitment to serving the entire community whether health insurance is available or not. The t...

Kimberly Amsden of North Chatham is a member of the executive council of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and is leading efforts to help eradicate breast and gynecologic cancers through education, advocacy, and fundraising. The executive council is a forum of nearly 40 women business and community leaders who are committed to helping find cures for women's cancers. ...

NORTH CHATHAM – When seniors find themselves needing additional health care support, assisted living or even nursing care, it’s an emotionally challenging time of life. But it’s even more stressful for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elders who also worry about discrimination or harassment. Broad Reach Healthcare, which operates Liberty Commons and the Victorian assisted living residence, is establishin...