On a recent Monday night, a group gathered in the lower level of the hospital in Cornwall for a different type of ribbon cutting. There had been no new construction, and no apparent influx of new equipment. What the ribbon cutters were celebrating was a room that will be used to help people with balance problems.
It took quite a few snips of the giant scissors to penetrate the festive red ribbon. Before it was cut, Joan Cusack McGuirk (the hospital’s interim CEO) spoke to a group that included staff members and residents of the neighborhood.
She told them that falls are responsible for a high percentage of emergency room visits, and that many falls result from balance problems. She said that the new center was an example of the hospital being proactive and focusing on prevention.
The center is currently open on Thursdays to accommodate people who have been referred by their physicians. Patients will undergo tests to see if they have a balance problem and, if they do, to determine what’s causing it.
On July 27, Kathleen Paoli (an audiologist) described some of the introductory procedures. In one case, staff members observe patients in four different situations — standing on a flat or uneven platform, and with their eyes covered or open.
The patient stands on a device that has handle bars like those on a bicycle. If he or she gets dizzy, they can grab onto the bars to steady themselves.
Other tests are conducted with subjects lying down. Air of varying temperatures is blown into their ears (warm on one side, cold on the other) to promote dizziness. The patient may also be shown a series of flashing lights.
Once the cause of dizziness is known, vestibular therapy may be a solution. This is a type of therapy that helps the central nervous system compensate for inner-ear deficits.
Mrs. Cusack McGuirk said this was a new venture for the hospital, and not a service that’s been moved from Newburgh. She indicated that the hours for the Balance Center could be extended if the patient volume grows. The nearest facility that’s like it is in Poughkeepsie, which can be a long ride from Cornwall — especially when traffic backs up on the bridges across the Hudson.
