FOR YOUR HEALTH: Regular Eye Exams are Essential to Living Your Best Life with Diabetes

/0 Comments/in /by

If you have diabetes, it’s wise to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist to make sure they’re not affected by the disease.

(NAPSI)—Many people don’t know it but diabetes is a leading cause of vision loss. Fortunately, early detection could save your vision. Unfortunately, most people with diabetes do not get a yearly comprehensive eye exam as recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Diabetic eye diseases often have no obvious signs or symptoms. The good news, however, is that an annual routine eye exam can help identify eye disease early so you can take steps to prevent or delay vision loss caused by diabetes.

“My patients are often surprised by how comfortable these eye exams are,” said Andrew Iwach, MD, an ophthalmologist in San Francisco and a volunteer with EyeCare America, a program offering no-cost eye exams to qualified, underserved Americans. “Taking charge of your diabetes includes taking charge of your eye health. Most people say they rely on their vision more than any other sense, so don’t wait until you notice symptoms. Get your eyes checked every year.”

How Does Diabetes Affect Eyesight?

Diabetes affects the body’s ability to produce or use insulin effectively to control blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can cause damage in many parts of the body, including the blood vessels in the eye. When this happens, the blood vessels can swell or leak, leading to vision loss. This is called diabetic retinopathy.

People with diabetes are also at higher risk of other eye diseases, including cataracts and glaucoma.

People with diabetes who don’t have eye disease can also experience a change in their vision. A quick change in blood sugar levels can cause temporary blurry vision. Taking care of your overall health by keeping up with exams, medications, and dietary guidelines as your doctor recommends is key to protecting your good vision.

A Simple and Painless Way To Avoid Blindness

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that about 90 percent of vision loss from diabetes can be prevented if it is diagnosed early.

Routine eye exams can include reading an eye chart, shining a light into your eye to check your pupil, testing your eye movement and side vision, an eye pressure test, looking at your eye through a slit-lamp microscope, and using dilating eye drops to check on the health of your retina, which is the back of your eye. You may experience slight sensitivity to light after dilation, but otherwise, these exams are pain-free.

Getting a comprehensive eye exam before eye disease develops will not only give you peace of mind, but an ophthalmologist can also help you understand your risk factors and recommend health tips moving forward to help prevent disease.

Can’t Afford an Eye Exam? EyeCare America® Can Help

Unfortunately, many of the 37 million people living in the United States with diabetes don’t have the time or the means to get an annual eye exam.

People of color are at a greater risk of going blind from diabetes. The number of people with diabetic retinopathy is predicted to increase by 48 percent by 2030.

Individuals who are at high risk for eye disease or are over the age of 65 may be eligible for a no out-of-pocket cost medical eye exam through the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeCare America® program. This public service program matches volunteer ophthalmologists with eligible patients in need of eye care across the United States. To see if you or a loved one qualifies, visit www.aao.org/eyecare-america/patients.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Brawl at the bird feeding stations

/0 Comments/in /by
Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

It’s a new year!

Boy, that was a news flash.

Anyway, we’ve turned the calendar to a new year, the holidays have passed, and we are now settling into the reality of at least three months of winter.

We are sure to suffer some aches and pains of moving the snow – and anything else that nature throws our way.

With all of this turbulence, there is one thing that still brightens my day, and that is watching the birds at the feeding stations.

Following a couple of years where my wife stopped feeding the birds because of the constant battle with squirrels (I know, squirrels have to eat, too), she decided to give it another try. This year, she was introduced to a new bird seed, one that repels squirrels, and decided to try it. Besides relocating the feeders that make them less accessible to the little gray rodents, the new seeds have been a success.

I have seen two squirrels (that would be Martha and Stewart) sit on the porch railing and assess the situation, knowing that what is going through their clever little minds is trying to figure out how to attack the stations. Well, they have tried, and they have failed.

In the meantime, the activity around the feeders has been remarkable. Every day we see a plethora of birds coming and going: chickadees, nuthatches, gold finch, cardinals, house finches, the occasional tufted titmouse, and the most unlikely of all, a hairy woodpecker. We have lots of crows and bluejays around, but so far have stayed away from the feeders.

Sometimes there are more birds than there are feeding stations. That causes a problem, for the birds that is. They engage in a little bit of rough housing. Maybe that is what is keeping the crows and blue jays at bay.

That is fine with me.

Ironically, my wife and I, following a hectic weekend, sat and watched the Alfred Hitchcock classic film, The Birds, last Sunday night. As we watched the birds, mostly crows – ravens? – and seagulls, take over the small hamlet of Bodega Bay, supposedly located north of San Francisco, driving out all its residents, I really didn’t make a correlation between that, and the birds that have, literally, taken over my side porch at the house.

What if…?

That could never happen, could it?

Monday morning saw me standing at my kitchen window, watching as the onslaught continued at the bird feeders. My imagination, which has been described as a little on the strange side at times, began to take over. What if those little feathered creatures decided there wasn’t enough food or feeding stations, and decided to try to enter the house to get at the feed bag? Maybe they could even engage the cooperation of the squirrels. Maybe we’ll need some eye protection!

Slap! Slap! Wake up, and get a hold of yourself. They are only tiny little creatures. They couldn’t possibly do the kind of damage those big birds did in that film.

Could they?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Has there ever been a shutout in the Super Bowl?

Answer
No.The closest was New England Patriots over the Los Angeles Rams in 2019, 13-3.

Give Us Your Best Shot! for Thursday, January 2, 2025

/0 Comments/in /by

To submit a photo for this section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@townline.org!

SUNRISE OVER PENOBSCOT BAY: Susan Lombard, of Clinton, captured this sunrise in November.

CURIOUS MANTIS: Joan. Chaffee, of Clinton, photographed this praying mantis exploring her boots.

KEEPING A KEEN WATCH: Amy Boyer snapped this bald eagle as it peruses the countryside.

A BIBLE MOMENT: On the other side of forgiveness, there is a blessing

/0 Comments/in /by
by The Village Parson

I also count all things lost, for the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, my lord.

There was a Texas billionaire whose daughter attended a youth group at a local church. As was their customer, they met at each persons house and it was her turn that week. The father decided to give everyone a tour of his mansion and as he was ending a boy asked what was in the room they hadn’t shown.

The father said that he had a fascination with snakes, and there was a swimming pool filled with them. As they approached the pool he comically stated that if anyone wanted to swim across the good sized pool, he would give them the hand of his daughter in marriage or half his estate. No sooner had he finished they heard a splash, to find a young man swimming for all he was worth. The stunned group gathered at the other side and as the young man finished, they fished him out. At once they crowded around him, to find out his decision. At that point, he shrieked “keep everything, who pushed me in?”

The moral being on the other side of forgiveness, there is a blessing, the peace that surpasses all understanding.

In contract, it was June 8, 1971, when Nick Ut snapped a photo of a nine-year-old girl running naked out of a Vietnam village that had been napalmed. The photo gripped the entire nation, capturing the horrors of war. The photo went viral, and contributed to bringing about the end of the war.

The photo also affected the mastermind of the bombing, and he was convicted to the core of the realty of the suffering he caused. Upon discharge from the military, he couldn’t shake off the guilt of the tragedy. He ended up divorcing his wife, and began a search for the peace he had lost. He ended up searching for the little girl, to ask forgiveness for what he had done.

Meanwhile, Kim Phuc, the child in the photo had grown up, fled to Canada, and has accepted Jesus as her lord and savior. She then became a spokesperson for UNESCO and became the keynote speaker at a military gathering of veterans, in Washington, DC.

He was attending the meeting when he suddenly realized who she was. He decided that was his chance to ask forgiveness from her, and she would be a symbol for the entire village. He then approached the stage, fighting off the security, and fell humble in front of her. Embracing and weeping together, she graciously forgave him, and he went away with the peace that had alluded him. He ended up becoming a pastor in a small town in Virginia.

This brings me to a favorite package in scripture. Those who have been forgiven much, love much. And also forgive us our sins, (as in like manner) as we forgive others.

The views of the author of this column are not necessarily those of The Town Line newspaper, its staff and board of directors.

CRITTER CHATTER: Reminiscing at the Duck Pond Wildlife Center – Part III

/0 Comments/in /by

The late Carleen Cote with a baby fox. (Duck Pond file photo)

by Jayne Winters

As part of our continued stroll down Memory Lane, I found several articles written by Carleen Cote about students who have raised money for Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center. Here is one from August 4, 2001:

“On June 12, fourth graders from Windsor Elementary School, with teachers Julie Clark and Sheila Ready, visited the Center to see the young baby wildlife. They saw fawns, foxes, raccoons, a porcupine, squirrels, as well as the long-time residents – hawks, owls and the adult deer.

Along with the excitement of seeing the young animals, they were extremely excited and proud to present me with a check for $350. The students had prepared posters depicting wildlife and made presentations to students about their posters. They challenged all grades to see which grade could raise the most money. Through the fundraiser, students increased their math skills by sorting and counting the coins and dollars that had been collected. They were very excited to tell me that they had raised the $350 in one week! This is the second year that Windsor Elementary school students selected our Center to be a recipient of their fundraiser – and their donation has gone a long way in providing food and medical care for the critters brought to the Center.

Winslow Junior High School’s eighth grade students in Linda Voss’s class also selected our Center to receive the money they had raised as part of a community service project. Each student selects an organization to donate their funds to and, for the third year, we have been the fortunate recipients, with over $200 donated this year to help feed the wildlife.

As I reported in an earlier article, China Primary School students and Friends of China Schools also made a very generous donation to the Center. All of these students are to be commended for their unselfish donations and the hard work they do to raise funds, and for their thoughtfulness in selecting the wildlife at our Center to benefit from their efforts. Thank you, students! Your thoughtfulness will always be remembered and appreciated.”

I’ll be sharing more of Carleen’s articles over the next few months as Don’s health concerns prevent him from accepting or assessing any wildlife or phone inquiries right now. He has been working with Wilderness Miracles Rehab, in Bowdoin (Kathi at 207-720-0074), Misfits Rehab, in Auburn (Jen at 207-212-1039; she accepts bats and mice), Bridget Green, in Wiscasset (207-631-0874), Critterville Wildlife, in Brooklin (845-549-2407), and Saco River Wildlife (207-702-1405). Pam Meier, at Mid-coast Maine, is a turtle rehabber and can be reached at The Turtle’s Back (203-903-2708). Please check these websites for a rehabber close to you: https://www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/index.html

In addition, you can contact your local Animal Control Officer through your town office. – PHONE MESSAGES & EMAILS ARE NOT BEING MONITORED AT THIS TIME.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Al Jolson

/0 Comments/in /by
Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Al Jolson

Al Jolson – Tell That To The Marines (recorded September 10, 1918); Arthur Fields – You Can’t Beat Us (If It Takes Ten Million More, recorded September 19, 1918). Columbia A2657, ten-inch acoustic shellac disc.

Al Jolson

Born in Lithuania to a Jewish family, Asa Yoelson (1886-1950), better known as Al Jolson, was a singer who had extraordinary stage presence, vocal power and delivery, and would become extremely successful through stage, film, radio, records and touring.

His mid-’40s Decca 78s were my first exposure to him back during the early ‘60s, in particular his feisty renditions of George and Ira Gershwin’s classic song Swanee River, and Back In Your Own Backyard.

I also have memories of Jolson’s appearance in a 1939 biopic of songwriter Stephen Foster, also titled Swanee River, with Don Ameche.

Jolson starred in the 1927 film, Jazz Singer, which was the first talkie. His frequent appearances in blackface ironically generated respect from African-Americans, a controversy that will not be addressed here.

Tell That To The Marines was also written by Jolson and it is a very enjoyable example of World War I patriotic music, similar to George M. Cohan’s classic Over There.

After a grueling series of concerts entertaining troops overseas fighting in the Korean War, Al Jolson died of a massive heart attack while playing cards with friends at his New York City hotel suite. He was 64.

Side 2’s You Can’t Beat Us is also a stirring WWI ditty. Born Abraham Finkelstein in Philadelphia, baritone Arthur Fields (1884-1953) started recording in 1914 and was the first white singer to perform with an African-American band when he was hired ragtime pianist Ford Dabney.

After a generally successful career, Fields suffered a stroke in early 1953 and was living in a Florida nursing home, in Largo, Florida, where a fire broke out and he and several others perished.

Both selections are available on YouTube.

Christmas Music

Christmas Organ and Chimes – Merlin; Grand Prix KX-4, 12-inch LP, recorded circa 1960.

Usually a little bit of Christmas music on the pop organ and chimes goes a long way. This particular LP from well over 60 years ago and from one of the 87-cent dimestore labels has musicianship, character and intelligence, O Holy Night, Joy To The World and Come All Ye Faithful being given a nicely arranged exquisite treatment.

Information on the very good organist Merlin seems to be non-existent.

Joanna Cassidy

Joanna Cassidy

Still living at 79, actress Joanna Cassidy did good work in a recurring role as Mena Pride, mother of the lead investigator Dewayne Pride between 2019 and 2021, who is suffering from dementia. The range of detail Cassidy brought to her role, including ladylike poise, elegance, dignity, distress, anger and despair was one powerful example of how to craft a performance on film.

Maine Speaks

The anthology Maine Speaks has a poem, Aye! No Monuments, by Rita Joe (1932-2007) who was designated Poet Laureate of the native American Micmacs, who have over 1,500 members residing in Aroostook County (Miss Joe lived most of her life in Nova Scotia.).

It celebrates the wondrous majesty of the Maine and Eastern Canada landscape where so many of her ancestors lived and worked:

“Aye! no Monuments,
No literature,
No scrolls or canvas-drawn pictures
Relate the wonders of our yesterday.

How frustrated the searching
of the educators.

Let them find
Land names,
Titles of seas,
Rivers;
Wipe them not from memory.
These are our monuments.

Breathtaking views-
Waterfalls on a mountain,
Fast flowing rivers.
These are our sketches
Committed to our memory.
Scholars, you will find our art
In names and scenery,
Betrothed to the Indian
since time began.”

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The history behind Santa’s flying reindeer

/0 Comments/in /by
Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

With all of our Christmas chores wrapped up (pun intended) on Saturday and Sunday mornings, my wife and I binged watched various old, standard Christmas-related films in the evening. While watching these, the thought went through my mind about where did the myth of Santa Claus and his reindeer come from, and when did they start to fly?

As everyone knows, the character of Santa Claus is largely based on St. Nicholas of Myra and Sinterklaas of Dutch lore. Both of those figures traveled via a noble, white stallion. Yet in some Western cultures, particularly America, Santa Claus travels the world on Christmas Eve delivering gifts in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.

In 1812, American author Washington Irving refers to St. Nicholas as “– riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to children” in the revised version of A Complete History of New York written under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker. Yet no mention is made of what propels the wagon. So where did the story of flying reindeer originate?

The first known written account of reindeer in association with the legend of Santa Claus occurred in 1821. That year, New York printer William Gilley published a 16-page booklet titled A New Year’s Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve Number III: The Children’s Friend by an anonymous author. In the book, reindeer are introduced into the Santa Claus narrative:

Old Santeclaus with much delight
His reindeer drives this frosty night.
O’er chimneytops, and tracks of snow,
To bring his yearly gifts to you.

During an 1822 interview, New York’s Troy Sentinel, editor Orville L. Holley questioned Mr. Gilley regarding the booklet’s author and the topic of reindeer. Though he did not identify the author, Mr. Gilley responded:

“Dear Sir, the idea of Santeclaus was not mine nor was the idea of a reindeer. The author of the tale but submitted the piece, with little added information. However, it should be noted that he did mention the reindeer in a subsequent correspondence. He stated that far in the north near the Arctic lands a series of animals exist, these hooven and antlered animals resemble the reindeer and are feared and honored by those around, as you see he claims to have heard they could fly from his mother. His mother being an Indian of the area.”

In 1823, the Troy Sentinel published the poem A Visit From St. Nicholas, commonly known as The Night Before Christmas. The poem features eight flying reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh and, for the first time, they are identified by name:

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name;
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Dunder and Blixem!
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!
Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

Though originally called ‘Dunder and Blixem’ in the 1823 publication, Santa’s seventh and eighth reindeer are commonly known as ‘Donner and Blitzen’ today. Dunder and Blixem are Dutch words that translate to thunder and lightning.

Reindeer were once viewed as mysterious creatures linked to lands in the northern part of the world. Their population was widespread in Scandinavian and Eastern European countries where, during the 18th century, they were domesticated. They were often used in transportation, pulling sleds and sleighs, and are still an important aspect of some indigenous northern European cultures, particularly to the Sámi people (commonly known as Laplanders to non-Europeans).

Taking these bits of knowledge into account, one can see how reindeer might have come to be used in early writings as the wondrous, flying creatures propelling Santa’s sleigh.

Ah, the magic of Christmas.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

The Patriots are 7-24 in the last two seasons to date, what was the worst regular season record in franchise history?

Answer
1990. Under first-year coach Rod Rust, the Patriots went 1-15 that season.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Cab Calloway and his Orchestra

/0 Comments/in /by
Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Cab Callaway

Cab Callaway

Cab Calloway and his Orchestra – Floogie Walk; The Ghost of Smoky Joe: Vocalion v4807, ten inch 78, recorded 1939.

Cab Calloway (1907-1994) was a character in the truest sense of the word. For all his accomplishment as a well above average singer/musician, his claim to fame was his sardonic insinuating delivery of lyrics in his classic 1931 hit 78 Minnie the Moocher, a 1940s Columbia disc of Johnny Mercer’s Blues in the Night and his 1959 rendition of Gershwin’s It Ain’t Necessarily So for the Porgy and Bess Soundtrack also on Columbia (Calloway was substituting for Sammy Davis Junior who sang in the movie but had an exclusive contract with Decca and couldn’t record for any other label.).

As part of his quite comical insinuating delivery, Calloway would intone the first few words of the song, and then a male chorus, often referred to as the Heigh Dee Ho chorus, would echo or rephrase the words back to Calloway. For example, Blues in the Night:

Calloway- “My mama done told me.”

Male chorus- “What did she tell you?”

Then the classic song of lost love and the resulting loneliness becomes a satirical spoof of adult crybabies.

The above Vocalion 78 has the rhythmically engaging big band instrumental Floogie Walk, which attests to the fine arrangements Calloway was recording and side two’s The Ghost of Smoky Joe, where the singer/storyteller delivers another example of his sardonic humor.

George Handel

George Frederick Handel – The Messiah (excerpts); Helmuth Rilling conducting the Oregon Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra; Discovery House Music, QT 130, recorded 2004, 1 cd.

George Handel

George Handel

Handel’s Christmas/Easter Oratorio masterpiece is quite appropriate for year round listening if one happens to be in the mood. The performances here include 16 excerpts – Comfort Ye, Every Valley Shall Be Exalted, O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion (sung eloquently by the unlisted contralto), For Unto Us A Child Is Born, Hallelujah Chorus, etc.

Maestro Helmuth Rilling, using a small sized chorus and orchestra instead of the massive ensembles heard, for example, in the otherwise very good recordings from the ‘40s and ‘50s of Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Sir Adrian Boult, and Eugene Ormandy, conducted in a very spirited manner. Still living and active at 91, Rilling has directed a large number of recordings of Bach, Handel and other composers with distinction.

And Handel’s Messiah has been recorded many times with distinguished results. I remember the late record reviewer and biographer of Handel, Herbert Weinstock who once wrote that a classical record collector only needs one recording of a piece, only to admit in a later review of a new recording of the Messiah that he owned a shelf full of Messiahs.

Louise Dickinson Rich

Louise Dickinson
Rich

In her The Coast of Maine, Louise Dickinson Rich described a lady back in the day who “made a career of paying visits of several days, not always at the convenience of her hostess. However, she talked so entertainingly and continuously of old scandals and excitements during her stay that in the end nobody could help being glad she came.”

Suddenly

Frank Sinatra

The 1954 melodrama Suddenly had Frank Sinatra portraying an assassin John Barron, who is heading to a small California town because he has inside information that the President of the United States is going to visiting there; and Barron and his two sidekicks are being paid a million dollars for the contract. Highly recommended as early ‘50s black and white suspense.

The supporting cast includes Sterling Hayden, Willis Bouchey, Nancy Gates, Paul Frees and James Gleason.

At the world premiere, Sinatra was filmed in the theater booth dressed as the assassin, selling tickets and chitchatting with the public.

When Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Suddenly and the more well-known 1962 Manchurian Candidate were withdrawn from circulation for years at Sinatra’s request.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Diabetes is More Common Than You May Realize

/0 Comments/in /by

Early screening, lifestyle changes and personalized medical care can help you protect yourself from this life-altering disease.

(NAPSI)—If you or someone you care for is among the 1 in 3 U.S. adults estimated to have prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes, or is among the nearly 40 million Americans the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates have diabetes, chances are good you or the person you care for won’t even know it.

That’s because nearly 90% of those who have prediabetes have no clear symptoms and aren’t aware they have it, and thus have an increased risk of developing diabetes.

One reason may be that people often think diabetes is a disease of old age and aren’t on the lookout. In fact, adults aged 45-64 receive the majority of new diabetes diagnoses in the U.S. and the country has seen increases in disease prevalence among those 18-44.

What You Can Do

Diabetes can affect health and quality of life at any age, ­but you can protect yourself three ways:

1. Be proactive – know your numbers, know your risk: From race and ethnicity, to genetics, weight and more, knowing your risk factors is the first and best step you can take in preventive measures to mitigate your risk of developing diabetes.
One of the top risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes is race and ethnicity. Type 2 diabetes is associated with increased mortality in ethnically diverse populations, specifically Hispanics and African Americans. Both Hispanic and African American adults are 60% more likely than non-Hispanic and non-African American white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician, with both populations being more likely to die or be hospitalized for the treatment of end-stage kidney disease related to diabetes.

2. Make good lifestyle choices: Strategies to stay as healthy as possible and prevent diabetes and other chronic diseases include:

• Make healthy food choices.
• Walk and integrate other forms of exercise into your daily routine.
• Stop smoking.
• Track your glucose levels.
• Get preventive testing and screening for kidneys, blood pressure, cholesterol and cancer.
• If you do develop diabetes, work with your primary care provider to develop and follow a diabetes care plan.

Modest weight reduction (5-10% of baseline weight) and increased physical activity to at least 150 minutes per week can reduce the incidence of diabetes by more than 50%.

3. Know your diabetes status: Get screened early (by age 35), especially if you have any risk factors.

Who Can Help

As part of Signify Health’s In-Home Health Evaluations (IHEs), clinicians administer diabetes screenings while providing the personalized support and guidance you can take to prevent diabetes onset and better manage your health.

These clinicians will also review your medications and health status, while answering any questions you may have about your conditions. For people living with diabetes, these in-home screenings and services can be critical. As many as 60% of people with elevated HbA1c or sugar levels, for example, are not following their treatment plan.

Both Signify’s IHEs and the recently announced diabetes Focused Visits are designed to be supplementary to a doctor’s office visit, help close quality care gaps, slow chronic disease progression with education and customized care planning, and reduce hospitalizations—all from the convenience and comfort of a health plan member’s home.

To take the first step toward managing diabetes risks, visit the self-scheduling portal at www.HelloSignify.com to see if you’re eligible for an In-Home Health Evaluation.

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS: Having a great team is great way to grow business

/0 Comments/in /by
Growing your businessby Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

Building the right team for your small business goes beyond just hiring skilled employees. You’re looking to create a group of people who are not only talented but also committed, passionate, and fully invested in the success of your business. Here’s how you can build a work team that believes in your mission, puts in the extra effort, and sticks with you for the long haul.

• Start with Your Business Vision: Every great team is driven by a purpose. You must first establish and communicate the mission and vision of your business. Make it clear why your business exists, what makes it unique, and how it adds value to your clients’ lives. When your team understands and believes in the “why” of your business, they’re more likely to feel a sense of purpose and pride in their work. This clarity can foster loyalty and dedication that go beyond day-to-day tasks.

• Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill: In small businesses, a positive, can-do attitude is worth its weight in gold. Skills can be taught, but a good attitude and work ethic are often innate. Look for people who exhibit qualities like curiosity, resilience, and enthusiasm. These are the types who will take on challenges with a positive mindset and contribute to a collaborative, upbeat workplace culture. Once you have the right attitude on board, invest in their development. A commitment to training and growth shows employees that you’re invested in them, which often makes them more committed to you.

• Encourage Ownership and Responsibility: People are more passionate about their work when they feel a sense of ownership. Delegate meaningful responsibilities and give employees the freedom to make decisions within their roles. When they feel trusted and empowered, they’re more likely to take pride in their work. Encourage them to treat the business as if it were their own, and they’ll naturally become more invested in its success.

• Foster Open Communication: A strong team thrives on transparency and open communication. Regularly, hold team meetings where everyone can voice their ideas, concerns, and feedback. Let your team know their input matters; it’s a sign of respect and inclusivity. When employees feel heard, they’re more likely to be engaged and committed. Likewise, be honest and transparent with them. Share both the wins and the challenges of the business and let them know they’re part of the journey.

• Celebrate Successes, Big and Small: Recognition goes a long way toward building a passionate team. Celebrate achievements, no matter how small. A simple “thank you” or acknowledgment of a job well done can boost morale and make people feel valued. Consider team celebrations for milestones or successful projects. Recognizing everyone’s contributions reinforces that each person’s efforts make a difference and that their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.

• Invest in Their Growth: One way to keep your team committed is to show you’re invested in their future. Provide opportunities for learning and growth, whether through training programs, attending industry events, or offering mentorship. By supporting their personal and professional development, you’re showing them they have a future with you and you’re committed to their long-term success. This investment in them creates a reciprocal commitment to your business.

• Create a Positive Work Environment: Finally, remember a positive work environment doesn’t just happen; it’s created. Encourage a culture of respect, support, and collaboration. Foster an atmosphere where people enjoy coming to work, where there’s laughter, camaraderie, and even a little fun. People are more likely to commit to a workplace where they feel comfortable, supported, and connected.

Building a passionate, committed team takes time and effort, but the payoff is immense. When you have a team that believes in your business, shows up every day with enthusiasm, and is dedicated to doing their best, your small business can achieve great things. The right team will help you grow, succeed, and build a reputation for excellence, all while making the journey a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Having a great team is a great way to grow your business.