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Living Healthy Together: Daily Summaries Delivered
by UVM Health
Each week we share stories, advice and insights from those closest to care in Vermont and northern New York while exploring the local and national issues shaping health care. Catch "Living Healthy Together" live airing on Radio Vermont's WDEV Fridays at 1 pm. Have questions or ideas? Email us at HealthTalk@UVM Health.org. Join the conversation and discover the human side of health care. Living Health Together is a partnership of University of Vermont Health and Radio Vermont. WDEV-AM Waterbury 550 AM WDEV-FM Warren/Sugarbush 96.1 FM WDEV-FM Barre 96.5 FM WDEV-FM Montpelier 98.3 FM WDEV-FM Island Pond 101.9 FM
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 1 weeks ago50 min
Missed Moments: Why (and when) We Should All Choose Hospice
Hospice Care is often misunderstood, feared or delayed – and the cost of waiting is measured in missed moments. In this episode of Living Healthy Together, explore hospice through the deeply personal stories of families and caregivers, and the insights of professionals who guide families and individuals through some of life’s most intimate and ubiquitous experiences. Leendert Huisman, whose wife Johanna passed away at McClure Miller Respite House after a long battle with cancer, reflects on his wife’s end-of-life journey. He shares how hospice care brought calm, clarity and dignity along with skilled medical care, emotional reassurance and the presence of health care professionals who knew exactly what to do during the couple’s most difficult moments; underscoring the relief hospice can bring when everything feels beyond our control. Annie Meredith-Mitchell, RN, MSN, CHPN, program director of Hospice and Palliative Care at UVM Health – Home Health and Hospice, explains what hospice truly is: holistic, interdisciplinary care for individuals and families going through the end-of-life journey. She addresses misconceptions and makes a powerful case for why we should all choose hospice when it can offer not just comfort, but time, meaning and agency during life’s final chapters. Kristy Brown shares her experience as a caregiver supporting her best friend Ann through years of serious illness and, ultimately, hospice and at-home care. For Kristy and Ann, hospice served as a bridge that allowed Kristy to stop being a caregiver in crisis and be present for Ann as a friend through her final hours. She also reflects on the profound impact bereavement support services had following Ann’s death. Ezra Lebowitz, MSW, a hospice medical social worker, and Jeannie Sullivan, LCSW, a bereavement counselor and licensed clinical social worker, discuss what families struggle with as they navigate loved ones’ end-of-life journeys; and how hospice helps normalize conversations about death, end-of-life planning and grief. They emphasize that hospice reframes death not as a medical failure but a human experience that deserves care, preparation and compassion. Together, these stories reveal hospice not as surrender, but a deliberate, life-affirming choice that honors comfort, dignity and connection until the very end.
- 2 weeks ago50 min
Stroke Signs We Miss – and Why They Matter
A stroke is a medical emergency in which every second matters. This week on Living Healthy Together, we explore how awareness, rapid treatment and coordinated care and clinical support can change everything. Genie Denton of Central Vermont Medical Center shares her powerful personal experience surviving multiple strokes, joined by her husband, Steven Harnois, a firefighter and longtime EMT. Genie recounts the subtle and often confusing symptoms that nearly went unnoticed, and how quick action and timely treatment made a life-changing difference for her. Christopher Commichau, MD, director of Cerebrovascular Disease, Neurocritical care and the Stroke Center at UVM Health, and Jenna Wydra, RN, Stroke Program manager for UVM Health, break down what strokes look like in the moment and discuss the importance of recognizing symptoms using the ‘BEFAST’ (“Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm, Speech, Time”) framework. They highlight how a coordinated, regional system of care ensures patients receive timely, high-quality treatment no matter where they live.Tracy Madsen, MD, an emergency physician and vice chair of Research at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine, and Daniela Zambrano, MD, a vascular neurologist and stroke specialist at UVM Medical Center, discuss emerging clinical insights around maternal stroke risk. Their discussion emphasizes the importance of prenatal care and recognizing possible stroke symptoms during pregnancy.
- 3 weeks ago49 min
Navigating Life with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unpredictable, often invisible and lifelong. For those living with this spectrum of conditions, every day can be shaped by pain, uncertainty and the need to constantly adapt. We explore the realities of IBD through the decades-long medical journey of Joshua Peets, a North Country resident and Crohn’s disease patient, and the clinical expertise of members of the care team at the Chron’s & Colitis Center at UVM Medical Center. Shruti Khurana, MD, a gastroenterologist and the founder/director of the Center, and Jeremy Dressler, MD, a colon and rectal surgeon, describe how IBD care is evolving to combine medical management, surgical interventions, nutrition guidance and mental health and pharmacy support. The goal: better manage a complex spectrum of conditions that impact a person’s whole body, not just their digestive tract. Meta Surjaputra, PsyD, a clinical psychologist who specializes in gastroenterological psychology, explores the powerful brain-gut connection and explains why anxiety, depression and stress are closely tied to outcomes for individuals living with IBD. A member of the Clinic’s care team, she shows how psychological support can improve patients’ ability to manage their symptoms and improve their overall quality of life. Kathy McGinnis, RD, a clinical dietician who specializes in gastroenterological disorders, discusses the role of nutrition as a critical tool for managing symptoms and supporting long-term health. She offers practical insight into diet patterns and common misconceptions around the causes and impacts of IBD in the kitchen.
- May 1, 202650 min
Generations of Care: A Family Practice
What does it take to build a medical practice that lasts not just decades, but generations? Join us as we visit Green Mountain Family Practice in Northfield, Vermont, and explore the human connections and experiences that form the core of family medicine for the Sullivan family, over the course of a hundred years. Craig Sullivan, MD, began caring for families in Northfield in 1983, practicing medicine in a small town where care extends beyond clinic walls and trust and lifelong relationships with patients defined family medicine. Dr. Sullivan shares stories and insights drawn from a career shaped by house calls, handshake agreements, and a sea-change that fundamentally reshaped primary care. Matt Sullivan, MD, describes his own winding path to family medicine. From filmmaking to primary care and ultimately a journey home to practice alongside his father Craig. He reflects on how medicine has changed, the challenges keeping physicians from choosing to practice family medicine, and what it takes to preserve meaningful relationships in an increasingly complex and business-driven health care system. Together they offer an intimate look at medicine as a vocation grounded in time, trust and presence within the lives of patients.
- Apr 24, 202650 min
Dr. Google Will See You Now: Health Literacy in the Digital Age
Health information is everywhere: online resources, third-party apps on your smartphone, artificial intelligence-driven chatbots; even the patient portal to your electronic health record. So why does understanding and using health information remain a challenge for millions of Americans? And how does communication, trust and misinformation shape health care experiences for patients and providers alike? Join Chrissy Keating, health literacy specialist at UVM Medical Center, as we explore why nearly nine in 10 adults struggle with health information; hear volunteer patient and family advisor Susanna Stinnett and patient engagement partner Vicki Mascareno-Nelson discuss how lived experiences improve patient-provider communication systems; explore the impact of misinformation and a crowded digital landscape with infections disease specialist and medical ethicist Tim Lahey, MD; and learn how preparing for your care can transform your health care appointments, with tips from professional health care risk manager Geri Amori and community outreach manager Maria Avery. Get a hopeful, practical look at how better communication, shared decision-making and curiosity on both sides of the exam room can lead to better health outcomes. Resources: Centers for Disease Control and PreventionNational Institutes of Health (searchable health condition information)Mayo Clinic (patient-facing medical information)Harvard Medical School (health education and condition overviews)American Academy of PediatricsInfectious Diseases Society of AmericaAmerican Heart AssociationAmerican Diabetes AssociationHealth Bytes and Insights (Request a session)
- Apr 17, 202651 min
When Something Isn’t Right: Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect
Preventing child maltreatment is complex, and everyone has a role to play. Child abuse and neglect affect every community. In this episode of Living Healthy Together, we mark Child Abuse Awareness Month by bringing together medical experts, foster parents, forensic specialists and community leaders to explore how we can keep children safe and how prevention truly works. James Metz, MD, a pediatrician, division chief of child abuse medicine and director of the Child Safe Program at Golisano Children’s Hospital, explains why child maltreatment is more common than many childhood illnesses; the role of pediatricians and how multidisciplinary teams investigate and respond to reports of suspected abuse while putting children and families at the center of everything they do. Whitney Barkhuff, MD, a neonatologist and foster parent, shares what families should understand about foster care, addresses common misconceptions and explores the many ways individuals and families can support children without committing to long-term foster placements. Tracey Wagner, MSN, RN, CPN, SANE-P, a forensic and sexual assault nurse and longtime foster parent, explains the spectrum of child maltreatment, how science is evolving, the importance of education, and how honest conversations can help protect children. Meghan Masterson, MA, BCBA, a board-certified behavior analyst and executive director of Kidsafe Collaborative, Chittenden County’s only independent agency dedicated to prevention of child abuse and neglect, explains how prevention is a shared responsibility. Learn how individual action, community support and strong systems create safer environments for children
- Apr 10, 202650 min
Inside Occupational Therapy: Stories of Recovery, Adaptation and Resilience
Occupational Therapy helps people do the everyday things that make life meaningful, from getting dressing and preparing meals to returning to work, driving and caring for family. On this episode of Living Healthy Together, we celebrate the impact occupational therapists have on lives across our region, and explore how this collaborative, relationship-focused approach to rehabilitation made a difference for three patients dealing with vastly different challenges. Together, these stories reveal how occupational therapy goes beyond rehabilitation, helping people reconnect to purpose, preserve dignity, and take control of their everyday lives. Vermonter Brian Stevens shares his journey of resilience and recovery with his occupational therapist, Janet Conk, MOT, following a devastating motorcycle accident in 2025 that left him paralyzed. Greta Irwin, OTR-L, a multi-site manager on the Rehabilitation team at UVM Medical Center, explains the scope of occupational therapy, rising demand for services across our region, and the growing, unmet needs facing patients. Heidi Faunce, a pipefitter who suffered a traumatic hand injury, takes listeners behind the scenes of her rehabilitation with certified hand therapy specialist Krista Schestag, OT, CHT, and describes the specialized, relationship-driven care that helped her return to work and reclaim her ability to do everyday tasks. University of Vermont professor Sefakor GMA. Komabu-Pomeyie, PhD, shares her lifelong medical journey dealing with the impacts of Polio and how her work with driver rehabilitation specialist Heather Zuk, OT, helped her preserve independence through adaptive driving technology.
- Apr 3, 202650 min
Elephant in the Room: Alcohol, Addiction and Recovery
Alcohol is deeply woven into American culture and its health risks often go unrecognized or minimized. Join us as we explore alcohol use disorder as a major public health issue impacting our region. You’ll hear from clinicians, public health experts, recovery professionals and a Vermonter who shares his lived experience on how alcohol affects individuals, families and communities across Vermont and northern New York. Peter Jackson, MD, director of the Addiction Treatment Center at UVM Medical Center, and Mallory Richardson, a certified recovery roach with Turning Point of Central Vermont who works in the emergency department at Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC), explain why alcohol use disorder is uniquely challenging to treat, why alcohol withdrawal is among the most dangerous and potentially-lethal experiences, and why many people delay seeking help. Eva Patrick, a public health specialist at CVMC and program manager of Central Vermont Prevention Coalition, and Marissa Patrick, NP, a primary care nurse practitioner at CVMC and the architect of the hospital’s primary care treatment pathway for alcohol use disorder, discuss Vermont’s high rates of alcohol consumption, the underuse of medication-assisted treatment, and how strategies for treatment and support are shifting. Chris Collins, a father and recovery advocate from Washington, Vermont, shares his powerful personal journey of addiction and recovery following a devastating motorcycle accident that left him with severe nerve damage.
About Living Healthy Together
Each week we share stories, advice and insights from those closest to care in Vermont and northern New York while exploring the local and national issues shaping health care. Catch "Living Healthy Together" live airing on Radio Vermont's WDEV Fridays at 1 pm. Have questions or ideas? Email us at HealthTalk@UVM Health.org. Join the conversation and discover the human side of health care. Living Health Together is a partnership of University of Vermont Health and Radio Vermont. WDEV-AM Waterbury 550 AM WDEV-FM Warren/Sugarbush 96.1 FM WDEV-FM Barre 96.5 FM WDEV-FM Montpelier 98.3 FM WDEV-FM Island Pond 101.9 FM
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