April News from Whittier Health Network

Mar 31, 2026 3:34 pm

APRIL 2026

Our monthly newsletter is dedicated to keeping you informed about people, news and events at our hospitals and transitional care units in Haverhill and Westborough, MA. At Whittier, we are dedicated to your well-being!

Celebrating Staff | Whittier Bradford

Zach Williams from central supply was our February Distinguished Service Award winner! 👏

Zach exemplifies dedication, reliability, and a strong commitment to excellence. Known for a hardworking nature and a positive attitude, he consistently goes above and beyond in his role. Always willing to lend a hand, he supports his teammates without hesitation and contributes to a collaborative, positive work environment. His dependability and willingness to help others makes a meaningful impact each day. We were proud to recognize Zach for his outstanding service and contributions!

Patient Success | Whittier Bradford

Paul Zipper’s recovery 💪👏

We’re inspired by the strength and resilience of our patients every day, and Paul Zipper is one of those patients. After three weeks of inpatient acute rehabilitation at Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital-Bradford, he was able to progress from being paralyzed, to walking, and now to outpatient - an amazing success story!

Medicaid Awareness Month | Applying for Medicaid/MassHealth

April is Medicaid Awareness Month and we hope that our informational blog will help those who might need Medicaid coverage.

Seniors – or people of any age – may find that their financial resources aren’t sufficient when they need an extended hospital stay or long-term care, and other avenues may need to be pursued. If income, assets, and long-term care insurance have been depleted, Medicaid/MassHealth can help those with limited resources in Massachusetts if an individual meets financial and other qualifying criteria.

Therapy Dogs | Whittier Bradford + Westborough

On National Therapy Animal Day - April 30 - we will salute our therapy dogs Newman and Hunter! 🐕‍🦺

Animals have the unique ability to bring smiles, reduce stress, and motivate patients on their physical recovery journey. Our good boys Newman and Hunter lighten the mood and bring a sense of joy and comfort to our patients and our staff whenever they come wagging down the hallways.

Service Spotlight | Occupational Therapy

Our occupational therapists prepare patients to return home by practicing everyday tasks while gaining strength, coordination, and endurance.

Whittier’s occupational therapists treat our clients along the full spectrum of care settings: inpatient, transitional care, and outpatient. With their help, our patients may regain their prior level of function in self-care, fine motor skills, work, and leisure pursuits and get back to performing activities of daily living (ADLs) such as washing the dishes and doing laundry.

Stress Awareness Month | Protect your health!

Chronic stress, over time, can contribute to many long-term health problems.

Stress has the potential to affect all systems of the body including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous, and reproductive systems. When stress becomes long-term or chronic, the effects are magnified and can lead to many serious health conditions. Recognizing the stressors in your life, and implementing ways to manage them, is critical to your health and well-being!

Did you know?

• There are only about 437 Medicare-certified LTACHs in the US and Whittier has two of them: one in Haverhill and one in Westboro! Whittier’s two Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals (LTACHs) care for patients who come straight from the ICU with serious medical conditions that require ongoing care, but no longer require intensive or extensive diagnostic procedures. Read more.

• April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month. Did you know that Whittier’s Prosthetic & Orthotic Clinics offers quick turnaround times, advanced techniques, and superior outcomes? Our unique “one-stop shops” allow for easy referrals to Cornell Orthotics & Prosthetics for amputee patients. More information is here, or contact one of our outpatient departments at either (978) 469-1425 (Bradford) or (508) 871-2077 (Westboro).

• Did you know that Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital-Westborough offers Outpatient Physical Therapists mother’s hours? A PT career at Whittier offers flexibility along with quality, consistency, and a sense of purpose. We’re happy to consider early shift hours versus later shift hours depending upon an applicant's availability....because we know life happens outside of work, too! Click below for our Outpatient PT job listing.