Blog

hospice winston-salem
Wednesday June 18th, 2014

Explaining your needs to others

Are you worried that asking for help sounds like whining? You may believe you “should” be able to do it all without assistance. Or think you are “just” doing what any good or loving daughter (or son, or spouse) would do. Like many caregivers focused on being gracious, you may have become used to minimizing the personal impact of caregiving. Wanting help does not mean you are weak. And being frustrated, tired, or resentful does not mean you don’t care for the elder in your life. It simply means that there is more on your plate than can be done alone.
hospice
Wednesday June 11th, 2014

Difficult questions

As we face our mortality, whether death is in fact weeks or decades away, we inevitably come up with questions about life's mysteries: Is there meaning to life? What is the point if we are ultimately going to die? Do we simply vanish when we die, or is there an afterlife? Is there a Being, Existence, or Force that is larger than ourselves? Will we be judged for how we have lived? Why have we been given the conditions we've been given? If we are in pain, why are we suffering? If we know we are dying, what reason is there for hope?
hospice winston-salem
Tuesday June 3rd, 2014

Medicare and Medicaid: Protecting your assets

An important concern of the seriously ill is whether their medical and other care expenses will gobble up resources and leave a surviving spouse with insufficient funds for their own needs. Medicare will pay for limited time in a nursing home provided 24-hour nursing care is required. But people who need long-term assistance and those who need non-medical help such as preparing meals, doing laundry or remembering medications may have to pay for this care out of their own pockets. This can get very expensive.
hospice winston-salem
Wednesday May 28th, 2014

Take fifteen!

As much as you’d like to take a break for an hour or two, sometimes it’s just not possible. But it is crucial that you take time to de-stress. If not for yourself, then do it for the person you care for. After all, if you burn out, what will happen to him or her? There are many ways to refresh quickly. First, put aside the day’s tasks and find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed. Silence the phone and set a timer for 15 minutes. Breathe easily and surrender completely to the exercise until the timer goes off. Care for your body
hospice winston-salem
Wednesday May 21st, 2014

Balance problems

Balance problems affect about 40% of older adults. Poor balance increases a person’s risk of falling. And fall-related injuries often result in an elder having to move to a living situation that provides more supportive care. A person with good balance can stand, walk, sit, and change position while easily staying upright. Without even thinking about it! It requires excellent coordination between the muscles and the senses (eyes, ears, and touch). The senses tell the brain about a body’s orientation in space. The brain then tells the limbs, muscles, and joints what to do.
kate b. reynolds hospice home
Tuesday May 13th, 2014

Cleaning out the medicine cabinet

It’s good news when your loved one can switch to a lower dose of a drug or quit a medication altogether. But what should you do with the unwanted pills, patches, or inhalers? Children and pets need to be protected from potentially fatal exposure. Yet chucking everything into the toilet is not recommended.
hospice winston-salem
Wednesday April 23rd, 2014

Helping the doctor help you

These days health is defined as more than the absence of disease. Good health includes physical well-being (having the ability to do activities) mental well-being (feeling clear headed and emotionally stable) social well-being (enjoying meaningful relationships and pastimes) Doctors are prepared to help in all these arenas, but they can’t get started without your input. Lab reports do not reveal quality of life and general well-being! Doctors need your report from home. Plan ahead for your visit by preparing the following: