The idea of putting down roots is an old idiom, yet the idea remains evergreen. We are surely born with roots, ties and connections. Generation after generation, at some point we decide where and when we want to lay down the foundation for the rest of our adult lives.
There are a range of considerations. Where and when to buy property? What schools are in the area? Does that area have job prospects with opportunities for growth? Do I stay near family? What hospitals are within driving distance? If I have kids, how will such choices shape their childhoods?
At the age of twenty-four, these questions have become increasingly relevant, especially as this little state continues to evolve and change.
Some changes are for the worse, in my opinion. I am faced with a choice of whether to relocate, or factor these changes into my future plans.
The November closure of Copley Hospital’s Birthing Center will impact generations of Vermonters, and whether they choose to stay in or around the Northeast Kingdom. In looking to the future, like many young women I want to ensure reproductive care is accessible, bare minimum.
Moreover, the complications and conditions that can arise from pregnancy require expertise and regular care, which the birthing center offered. I still cannot see how this gap will be filled, and thus I have had more doubts than ever about my future in this area.
The increased time traveling to hospitals located in Burlington or Berlin imposes unnecessary risks to both mothers and babies, a risk I will avoid if possible. If that means I must relocate, then so be it.
In several instances, the hospital cited declining birth rates in the county as one factor in closing the birthing center. As with many hospitals, births have never been very profitable and thus revenue is sourced from departments like orthopedics. In a stunning example of what I can only assume is shortsightedness, the hospital administration has further alienated young women and families with this decision, and thus birth rates for Lamoille County will only continue to decline.
With the closest source of reproductive expertise and care eliminated, I believe other young women like myself will reconsider putting down roots in an area with no infrastructure to accommodate the unique challenges posed by carrying children.
In combination with the potential redistricting and closure of some rural schools, incentives to put down roots here have seriously diminished. This saddens me, as I love this state, and I believe it has a lot to offer families and children. There are unique opportunities that can only come from learning and living in a tight knit community.
Rural communities and towns are the backbone of this country, but when you discount women and their healthcare needs, these areas can only continue to diminish in population size as a reaction.
We hear the national media talking about declining birth rates as a mystery, but for the first time in history women have the autonomy to choose when and with whom we reproduce.
We no longer need a male co-signer on bank accounts, loans, et cetera.
Birth control is widely available in most contexts.
In eliminating its birthing center, I believe Copley Hospital administrators and the board eliminated the choice and incentive for young women to put down roots in and around this corner of the Northeast Kingdom.
I cannot and will not risk my own health, or simply wait for a solution to arise and thus as a twenty-four year old, will likely adjust my plans for the near future. Who’s to say how many other young couples or families are reconsidering their choices too?
Vermont is already the oldest state in the country by median age.
Young people love this state, to that I can attest, but if this state doesn’t start to love us back, Vermont may soon rise from third to second in median age in the U.S.A.
Raymonda Parchment, Hardwick Gazette Reporter
Raymonda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.
