Martin's Point Helps Boost Confidence and Calm Fears of Children at Home Alone

BRUNSWICK, Maine (April 13, 2000) ÷ Martin's Point Health Care is offering a workshop to help boost the confidence and calm the fears of children who are home alone after school.

The single-session workshop, designed for 9 to 11-year-old children, will be held from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on two dates ÷ April 25 and May 16 ÷ at the Martin's Point Health Care facility in Brunswick, located on Farley Road near Cook's Corner. The program costs $10. For additional information, call the Martin's Point Health Education Center at 828-2497.

The workshop will focus on safety issues and first aid techniques as a way to help children feel more confident in case of an emergency. Children will be instructed on what to say if they need to phone 911 or another emergency number for help. Parents, too, will receive information and tips about how to reduce safety risks.

Instructor Kathie Riddle will lead the discussion, using videos and providing take- home materials to participants. "Every child who is home alone should be given the tools they need to remain safe and stay out of trouble," Riddle said. "The decision to leave a child home alone is a difficult one for parents, but if the necessary steps are taken their concerns can be minimized."

A key element of the workshop is the preparation of a ÃŽHome Sweet Home' list of phone numbers to post near the phone. The list contains work numbers for parents, numbers for adult friends or neighbors, and emergency numbers to reach the police, fire, ambulance, poison control and others. The child's home address and phone number also are listed.

First aid techniques and issues covered will include: preventing choking, helping in a choking emergency, treating minor wounds and dealing with nosebleeds. Riddle also will give tips to children about how to deal with people who come to the door or call on the phone when they are home alone.

Established in 1981, Martin's Point Health Care employs 290 healthcare professionals who serve 44,000 patients at clinics in Portland, Windham, Brunswick and Newington, N.H. Headquartered in Portland at 331 Veranda Street, Martin's Point accepts all major health plans and insurance, including but not limited to HealthSource, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Harvard Community Health Plan, Maine Partners, Champus, Tricare, Aetna, Cigna and NYLCare Plans.

For more information about Martin's Point Health Care, please call Amy Weinschenk, director of communications, at 774-5801, extension 2231, or visit the Martin's Point website at www.martinspoint.org.

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