The Point

On The Point's monthly behavioral health show we talk about grief. All of us are grieving the loss of normalcy as we navigate this new way of living. We consider the toll it takes on our bodies and our minds, and how to deal with the stress. We also discuss losing someone during a pandemic and coping with the anguish of not being with a loved one in their final days.

The Avian world is busy in April. We get the highlights from Mark Faherty, Wildlife Biologist at the Wellfeet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary , in this broadcast of The Point. Mindy Todd hosts.

A coronavirus field hospital is coming to Joint Base Cape Cod, and additional care centers are opening in former nursing homes in Falmouth, Brewster and New Bedford. Meanwhile, local school districts have started up required remote learning for students, and coronavirus cases slow on the islands. Those stories and more on today's program, as WCAI News Director Steve Junker rounds up the local response to the coronavirus with some of the region’s leading journalists.

Our new monthly program on Healthy Lifestyles kicks off this month. In this episode, we discuss how the upending of routines and schedules is impacting our eating. With many of us working from home it’s easy to eat all day long when the fridge and pantry are steps away. And with many curtailing trips to the store, cooking meals can be a challenge. We discuss mindful eating strategies, setting up a new routine for meals and eating and some ideas for flexible, healthful recipes.

One good outcome of social distancing is we’re spending more time with our canine companions. Not only are dogs getting more walks, they’re no longer being left alone for long portions of the day. This could be a good time to bond with your dog by taking up obedience training or to correct bad habits. It’s also important to understand how behaviors, both our own and our dogs, can lead to bad habits. Joining us on The Point is Tom Shelby . He’s has spent his career training and working with dogs.

How are students, parents, and teachers faring, and what students are at greatest risk for falling behind? What are the updated guidelines from the Department of Education around teaching, curriculum, and testing, and what tips can we take from those who already teach their children at home? We also discuss strategies to keep stress and anxiety in check as parents and children adjust to this new way of learning.

We look at the latest on COVID-19 on the Cape, Coast, and Islands, and the effect the pandemic is having on our region. WCAI’s Kathryn Eident talks to local reporters and editors about the issue. Her guests include: WCAI’s Sam Houghton, Eve Zuckoff, and Jennette Barnes; Tim Wood at the Cape Cod Chronicle; Noah Asimow from the Vineyard Gazette; Geoff Spillane from the Cape Cod Times; Ed Miller from the Provincetown Banner; Josh Balling at the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror; George Brennan at the

On The Point, we invited six of our favorite area poets to share their thoughts on how poetry can help in difficult times. They also share some of their work. The poets: Barry Hellman, Alice Kociemba, Maggie Cleveland, Justen Ahren, Lauren Wolk, Lorna Knowles-Blake. Mindy Todd hosts.

Getting sober can be a goal, but for many sobriety is a lifelong journey. We talk with Michael Blanchard about his new book of essays and photographs titled “Through a Sober Lens.” We also talk with those in recovery about the challenges social distancing presents to those who rely on community meetings to stay on track and come of the virtual and online supports available to those with substance use disorder.

How are you keeping yourself and your family entertained while still observing social distancing? We discuss movies you may have missed, classics worth re-visiting, and series that may tempt binge watching. We also discuss board games, online games, and games you can play virtually with friends and family. And we hear from you: what are you watching, playing and doing, either on your own or with others?