April 2012 Hospice Volunteer of the Month – Ella Downing!
The services provided by hospice care are what Americans want; yet 83% of them don’t know about hospice care. Rather than reinforcing their fears about death, we need to ensure that every American understands that hospice care provides the compassion and dignity that they want and need at the end of life.
The Facts About Aging: Today, there are nearly 40 million seniors in the U.S. In the next 30 years, that number is expected to double, as baby boomers reach age 65. Medicare spends, on average, nearly $40,000 per person in the last year of life. This is more than five times the average cost for [...]
In a 1999 study of the Palliative Performance Scale (a tool to help determine hospice eligibility), it was determined that only about 10% of patients with a Palliative Performance Scale score of 50% or less are expected to survive more than 6 months. (Woelk, Harlos. Guidelines for Estimating Length of Survival in Palliative Patients)
The earlier a person is referred, the more Heart ‘n Home Hospice & Palliative Care can do to help. Sadly, many people believe that hospice is unavailable or inappropriate until literally, the last days of a person’s life. Through hospice, patients can enjoy a higher quality of life.
A healthy eating plan means more than choosing the right foods to eat. Preparing foods should also be done healthy. Some ways of cooking are better than others in cutting cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fat, total fat, and calories. Keep in mind, you want to get as much nutritional value as possible. You don’t have to give up taste or the things you love. Just learn some healthy cooking techniques and you can have it all (almost)! Stir-fry is healthful and delicious! The high temperature and constant movement of the food keeps it from sticking and burning. For vegetables, poultry or seafood, use a tiny bit of peanut oil.
Healthy food habits can help you reduce three risk factors for heart attack and stroke—high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess body weight.
If your physician has prescribed high blood pressure medicine to help lower your blood pressure, you will also need to make the other changes that are effective: Stay within your normal weight range, consume less salt, be more physically active, and limit alcohol to no more than one drink a day (for women) or two drinks (for men). Also, follow your overall therapy plan. Taking your medicine the way your physician has prescribed it for you is the key to getting your blood pressure down where it belongs!
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