Learn the 5 Major Heart Attack Symptoms and How to Respond to Someone in Need
Heart attacks are the most common cause of death in the United States. Each year, nearly 700,000 Americans die from a heart attack. Many of these heart attacks can be treated and even reversed. They have to be spotted quickly and responded to with medication or by medical professionals. A combination of swift action and follow-up registered nursing care in Hollister CA can be essential to turning a potential heart attack statistic into a survivor.
Heart attack symptoms
1. Chest pain
Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms associated with a heart attack. It is an acute, stabbing pain that is often substantial and debilitating. This feeling is connected to the arterial closure and lack of oxygen which is the key result of a heart attack. The pain often comes on suddenly and does not relax no matter the steps a person takes. It is a sharp, stabbing pain that is known medically as angina. The pain does not go away easily and does not subside like it might for other health problems that cause similar sensations.
2. Jaw or neck pain
The pain that originates in the chest can extend to the jaw or neck. This pain would also be substantial and similar in nature to chest pain. It is a radiating sensation and cannot be attributed to earlier actions that a person has taken. The pain radiates from the chest up through the head and focuses in the nerves of the jaw or neck. This pain must be treated seriously and addressed if it is connected to other heart attack symptoms.
3. Arm numbness
Arm numbness is one of the clearest signs of a heart attack. This symptom often occurs only with a heart attack and is separate from the many other health issues that have chest pain and faintness as symptoms. The presence of arm numbness along with chest pain is the clearest sign that someone is having a heart attack and needs immediate medical attention.
4. Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath is another important symptom. This sensation often goes with tightness of the chest. It feels like a sufferer cannot catch their breath and cannot bring oxygen into their lungs. The sensation of tightness with a heart attack is sudden and does not dissipate like it might with typical angina or the symptoms of arterial blockage.
5. Feeling faint
People suffering from a heart attack often feel dizzy and faint. They may have to lie down or collapse. The infarction prevents the heart from pumping blood to the brain and other parts of the body. These areas do not receive oxygen and cannot keep a person standing upright. The sufferer has to sit down and sometimes lay down in order to retain consciousness. In that instance, they need to make sure that they take immediate action if they are alone. Weakness can cause a heart attack victim not to think clearly and not to take the steps that they need to take in order to survive. They have to reach out for help as quickly as possible.
What to do
The symptoms of a heart attack are often clear and substantial. They are not always visible to the person suffering from them, however. These symptoms sometimes cloud a person's judgment and make it difficult for them to take swift action. As a result, having another person nearby can be crucial.
The first step to take when someone sees the signs of a heart attack is to immediately call 911. A dispatcher will then talk them through their next steps. These next steps could involve a handful of different approaches. A person may simply be instructed to tell the sufferer to calm down and get off their feet. They may be told to take aspirin in order to thin the blood and perhaps lessen the damage from the heart attack. An individual may also be instructed to help the victim take medication that they have been prescribed for heart disease. This medication can save a person's life. Finally, they will be instructed to aid in the appearance of emergency personnel. Emergency personnel will help the heart attack victim receive the treatment that will be necessary in serious cases.
Immediate treatment is essential to saving a person's life from a heart attack. But a follow-up cardiac care program can also be crucial. Registered nursing care in Hollister CA like CCVNA can help a heart attack sufferer recover from any heart or artery damage that may have resulted from the attack. It can give a patient regular medication and steps that can be taken if the signs of another attack are present in the future. Heart attacks can be deadly. But they can also be prevented and future attacks can be made less likely with the right approach to care.
5 Ways to Help Elderly Relatives Fund Home Health Care Costs
In a perfect world, every older adult would enter retirement with a pension and nest egg large enough to cover all future expenses. For most older individuals, however, this scenario just isn't a reality. Even with careful planning, many senior adults find themselves unprepared to pay for home health care costs should the need arise.
The best time to consider how an older relative will fund home health care costs is well in advance of the need for such care. However, it's not too late to look into the available options right now even if your loved one requires immediate in-home assistance. There are many ways to approach the issue of paying for home health care costs. Perhaps you'll find that one or a combination of the following strategies is a good fit for your family.
1. Tap into Home Equity
Even in the absence of formal savings plans, many older adults have spent years or decades making payments on a residence. This diligence has likely created a store of wealth that could come in handy when faced with home health care costs. Reverse mortgage loans permit a qualifying older adult or couple to access their home's equity while still residing in the property. Many individuals qualify even if their home isn't completely paid off.
If your loved one isn't opposed to leaving their current home, downsizing to a smaller residence may also make sense. Taking this step will allow them to access some of the equity that's tied up in their current home. Other advantages could include freeing up additional funds by reducing their monthly house payment or eliminating it altogether. He or she may also be able to find a smaller, easier-to-maintain home that's more elder-friendly than their existing residence.
2. Assistance From Family
No one wants to feel like a burden to their children or grandchildren. For older adults with limited resources, however, it's often necessary to turn to family for help with home health care costs. When spread over numerous relatives, the cost of intermittent or even daily in-home care becomes much more manageable. Every family will have a different formula for contributing to a relative's long-term care costs that's based upon their unique situation. Some might prefer splitting the cost evenly among a group of relatives. Others may find that a sliding scale based upon individual income and economic circumstances is their best option.
A family member who pays for in-home care or who provides care for an elder loved one could be eligible for a federal or state tax deduction. A CPA, tax preparer or elder care expert can provide more information on whether this incentive applies to you.
3. Long-term Care Insurance
As the name suggests, long-term care insurance was created to help older Americans manage the costs associated with in-home or institutionalized care. Long-term care policies may pay for an in-home care provider, assisted living, full-time nursing home care or all of the above. The cost of long-term care insurance has risen significantly in recent years. However, this type of coverage still makes good financial sense for individuals who can afford to pay the monthly or quarterly premiums.
In order to make informed decisions about using long-term care insurance to pay for in-home care, first determine if your loved one has a policy in place. If so, look it over with them to see what types of care it covers and the coverage amounts. If he or she has no long-term care insurance, consulting an insurance provider to determine possible coverage eligibility may be a good idea.
4. Medicaid and State-run Programs
Medicare is a federally administered program that's intended to serve the healthcare needs of older Americans. As such, many people mistakenly believe that it automatically covers in-home care along with other types of health care services. Unfortunately, traditional Medicare generally doesn't cover any in-home health care costs. The good news for older Americans facing health challenges is that many state-administered Medicaid programs do offer some coverage for in-home care. The type, duration and cost of covered services will vary, so check with your state's department of public health for more information.
Some states also offer free or low-cost in-home care services through the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. PACE was created with the goal of helping health-challenged older adults remain at home instead of entering long-term residential care facilities. As with other state-based programs, an individual's eligibility for PACE will depend on where they reside as well as other factors.
5. Locally Based Non-profit Organizations
In some localities, non-profit entities have arisen to fill the urgent need for reliable, reasonably priced in-home care. One example of such an organization is Central Coast VNA. This home health care service in Monterey CA exists to meet the needs of residents of Central Coast, Monterey County and Hollister. Help is offered in the form of in-home assistance, wellness check-ups, hospice care and related services.
The services provided by CCVNA and similar organizations may not be offered completely free of charge to every individual. These types of entities are generally funded by private donors, insurance payments and other sources. They also rely heavily on volunteers to furnish services and manage other aspects of the operation. This allows them to keep costs as low as possible for the individuals and families that take advantage of their service offerings.
7 Important Benefits of Advance Care Planning in California
As a leading home health care service in Monterey CA, CCVNA is proud to offer external advance care planning. With professional assistance, you can make important decisions about your future care while you still have the cognitive strength to do so. This might sound like a painful process, but it brings significant advantages for yourself and your loved ones.
What Is Advance Care Planning?
Advance care planning is the process of deciding and writing down how future care decisions will be made. Healthcare professionals can talk you through the details of the plan and help you make important choices ahead of time. You can decide the types of treatments you’ll want and which you’d rather avoid, all according to your preferences and values. In the case that you’re unable to speak for yourself in the future, the plans you’ve made will be used to determine the details of your care.
What Does Advance Care Planning Include?
The first step in advance care planning is to discuss the potential treatment options that could come in the future. The goal is for all patients to make informed decisions. As you learn about life-sustaining treatments, you can decide how the various options align with your preferences.
Once you’ve learned the details, you’ll work with a professional to form a concrete plan. You’ll appoint a decision-maker to speak on your behalf if you’re no longer able to speak for yourself. You’ll also complete a set of advance directives stipulating the types of care you want and which you don’t. Having everything written and codified according to California law will ensure your end-of-life care corresponds to your desires.
The Benefits of Advance Care Planning
Advance care planning is a challenging process, but it has serious benefits. Leaving things to chance will only increase the stress and pain of illness. There’s a reason countless California residents have used advance directives to spell out their preferences. If you take the time to make a definitive plan, you’ll prepare yourself and your family for a more graceful aging process.
Reduces Pressure on Everyone Involved
Making your own healthcare decisions is stressful enough. Making those decisions on someone else’s behalf is even more challenging. If you enter your later years without an advance plan, you risk unleashing chaos on your loved ones. People could agonize over painful decisions, then go on to regret the choices they made for the rest of their lives. When you spell out your preferences ahead of time, you save people from having to make these decisions on your behalf. As a result, everyone will be able to grieve from a position of strength and love, not doubt and guilt.
Ensures Care Reflects Your Preferences
Most people value the control they exercise over their lives. There may come a point when you’re no longer able to make your own decisions or communicate your desires to others. If you haven’t made plans ahead of time, then other people in your life could make decisions you don’t approve of. Since the mechanisms exist to avoid this catastrophe, there’s no reason not to take advantage of them.
Decreases the Length of Hospital Stays
Patients can spend weeks or months in hospitals that they’d rather not be in just because they failed to communicate their preferences ahead of time. When you’ve already created a plan in advance, healthcare providers will know to send you home if that’s what you prefer. This will help you spend your last days in comfortable surroundings rather than the clinical environment of a hospital.
Makes It More Likely You can Die at Home
Many Californians would prefer to die at home. If you fall into that category, then you should make your preference clear ahead of time. Advance care planning gives you a standardized way to stipulate future procedures. If you don’t say something before it’s too late, you could end up dying in an environment where you don’t feel totally comfortable. You’re much better off speaking up now while you have the chance.
Allows You to Take Advantage of Your Current Wellness
Advance care planning gives the present, healthy version of you a chance to speak for the future version of you who might be silenced by illness. Wellness is a blessing, and it allows you to plot out your future. If you have the strength to discuss difficult topics and make hard decisions now, you should take advantage of it.
Reduces Healthcare Costs
When you haven’t made healthcare decisions ahead of time, you might end up in situations that are needlessly costly. If you’d rather be home than at a hospital, you might as well say so now. That way, you won’t have to pay for a hospital stay that you’d rather be avoiding anyway.
Improves the Overall Patient Experience
Getting sick is rough, and navigating the healthcare system is no fun, either. Advance care planning is one way to make the process a little more bearable. When you’ve written down your preferences, healthcare providers will know exactly how to handle your case. This will result in a patient experience that’s generally more attuned to your values and ideals.
Advance Care Planning: The Right Choice for Your Future
With something important as your future healthcare, there’s no sense leaving anything to chance. Advance care planning gives your loved ones and your healthcare providers a blueprint for your future care. As a result, everyone involved will have an easier time dealing with the challenges of aging and illness.
What Vaccines Are Needed for Adults? A Detailed List of Immunizations for Every Age Group
PLEASE NOTE: Central Coast VNA Community Services has discontinued the travel immunization program. As the community immunizers it has been a privilege to provide this vital service of disease prevention and healthy travel to our communities.
Most people know that children need vaccinations to protect them from various illnesses as they grow up. However, you may not realize it's important for adults to get immunized as well. There are several viruses and diseases that can attack adults who are not up to date on their vaccines. Your risk for these conditions varies depending on multiple factors, including your age, health status, occupation and travel plans. Here is a detailed list of recommended vaccines for adults.
Vaccines for All Adults
Influenza vaccine
Influenza claims the lives of thousands of Americans each year. People with health conditions, pregnant women and older adults are most at risk. All adults 19 and over should get annual flu immunizations to prevent the spread of the disease.
COVID-19 vaccine
COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the country. However, COVID vaccines are effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalizations and death due to the virus. Although COVID-19 is most dangerous for older adults and people with certain health conditions, it can also cause healthy young adults to become seriously ill. You can get the COVID vaccine in Salinas by visiting a clinic, pharmacy or doctor's office.
Tetanus vaccine
Tetanus infections are caused by a type of environmental bacteria that can enter the body through open wounds. Once inside, it can produce a toxin that causes severe muscle spasms and stiffness. All adults should get a Tdap immunization — which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough — if they did not receive one as a child. They should also get a booster shot every 10 years.
Vaccines for Adults 19–26 Years Old
HPV vaccine
Human papilloma virus can cause genital warts and certain cancers in both men and women. Doctors recommend HPV vaccinations for adults between the ages of 19 and 26 who have not already been immunized against the virus. In addition, some unvaccinated adults between the ages of 27 and 45 may benefit from immunization if they are at risk of new HPV infections.
Vaccines for Adults 19-59 Years Old
Hepatitis B vaccine
Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver that frequently causes no symptoms. It can lead to liver damage, liver cancer, cirrhosis and even death. Most people are vaccinated against Hepatitis B as infants, but health experts also recommend that adults between the ages of 19 and 59 get immunized against the disease.
Vaccines for Adults 50 Years Old and Up
Shingles vaccine
Shingles is an infection that stems from the same virus that causes chickenpox. It causes a rash that develops into painful, itchy blisters. The risk of contracting the disease increases sharply with age, so all adults over the age of 50 should get protected by the shingles vaccine.
Pneumococcal vaccine
Pneumococcal bacteria can cause many types of pneumococcal diseases, including pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, meningitis and bacteremia bloodstream infections. Adults 65 and over, people with certain medical conditions and smokers are at most risk. Doctors recommend that these populations get either the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) or the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) to protect them against serious illness.
Vaccines for Pregnant Adults
If you're expecting a baby, you should get a Tdap vaccine between the 27th and 36th week of your pregnancy to prevent pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough. You should also get an influenza shot if you are pregnant during flu season, which normally runs from October through May. Other immunizations may also be recommended.
Vaccines for Adults With Health Conditions
Adults with certain health conditions may require additional vaccines. Ask your doctor which immunizations are recommended if you have conditions such as:
- Asplenia
- Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease or other cardiovascular diseases
- HIV infection
- Asthma or other lung diseases
- Liver disease
- A weakened immune system
Vaccines for Healthcare Workers
Healthcare workers can be exposed to a number of vaccine-preventable diseases while on the job. Because of this risk, medical professionals who work directly with patients should get certain immunizations to prevent the spread of viruses and other contagious infections. These immunizations may include:
- Hepatitis B
- Measles, Mumps & Rubella
- Chickenpox
- Meningococcal
Vaccines for Travelers
Adults traveling from the Monterey area may need to get certain immunizations before they depart. For example, people planning to visit another country might be required to get vaccinated against one or more of the following diseases:
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Typhoid and paratyphoid fever
- Meningococcal disease
- Rabies
- Yellow fever
- Japanese encephalitis
In addition, you might want to make sure you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before taking a domestic or international trip. Check government sources for the most up-to-date guidance on travel immunizations.
5 Reasons to Consider Hospice for a Loved One
1. Customized Care
Every hospice situation is different, so it's critical to choose a home health care professional who can provide the pain management or nutritional and hydration care that your loved one needs. Hospice provides all the medical professionals required to support end-of-life needs as they change over time. This customized care means your loved ones will have services to ensure their comfort.
Quality of Life Assessments
This customized care also means patients will receive a quality-of-life assessment regularly. Home health care providers, together with the patient and family, will determine if the hospice patient's physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs are being met. Since this end-of-life care covers all aspects of life, hospice, with registered nursing care in Hollister, CA, can help fill those gaps in care to improve a patient's quality of life.
2patient'sation of Care
3. Hospice at Home
5. More Time with Your Loved One
Caregiver Stress
Choosing Patient-Focused Care
10 Easy Ways to Encourage Employee Wellness at Work
1. Obtain Consistent Feedback to Improve Employee Wellness Program
No employee wellness program is going to be perfect from the start. Even if you properly prepare for this program, there's a good chance that you won't meet all of your employee needs immediately. You can correct this issue by obtaining feedback from employees.
There are several methods you can use to collect feedback. For instance, you could put out a workplace survey to inquire about the employee wellness program. You can also send emails that detail 5-7 wellness ideas and ask for feedback, which gives you the opportunity to implement the ideas that employees respond most positively to.
2. Promote Healthy Eating
You should take steps to promote healthy eating wherever possible in the workplace. You could replace any candy with much healthier fruit bowls. Another great idea that can boost employee engagement is to ask that employees send in any healthy recipes they have to create a company cookbook that's centered around health and nutrition.
You could even think about including a healthy recipe in the weekly newsletter your company sends out to employees. No matter what you do to promote healthy eating, you should strive to be part of a lasting solution in this regard.
3. Partner with Wellness Vendors and the Employee Benefits Company
If you want your employee wellness program to be as robust as possible, it should be made with the help of trained and professional individuals as well as your company's employee benefits provider. The insurance provider that represents your company could also have some useful wellness tools that you can take advantage of. Make sure that you have access to local wellness vendors that provide such services as discounted fitness equipment, yoga sessions, and cooking tips.
4. Use a Corporate Wellness Application
You can be certain that your employee wellness program is properly implemented by organizing it with a corporate wellness application. These apps can be quickly downloaded to any smartphone and will provide employees with daily workout suggestions, health tips, and health monitoring features. There are many apps at your disposal. Make sure that the one you choose fulfills the specific health and wellness needs that your employees have.
5. Personalize Employee Health
The only way for practically every employee to start focusing on health and wellness is to personalize employee health. If your business only offers a couple of wellness activities, a high percentage of your employees may not find interest in either activity.
However, offering a multitude of wellness activities means that your employees can select the ones that best suit their preferences. While some employees will enjoy relaxing and peaceful activities like walking, other employees might want to focus on mindfulness activities.
6. Make Sure Employees Remain Hydrated
Consistent productivity among your employees depends on these employees being properly hydrated from the very beginning of the day. Make sure that you have enough juicers and water coolers around the workplace to meet employee needs. While water is the best solution for hydration, you should know that juice, meat, and fruit can also help your employees remain hydrated.
7. Aim to Build Healthy Habits
The key to a sustained employee wellness program is to help your employees build healthy habits that will last for years. No matter the time of the year, it's common for employees to catch a cold or experience allergies. When employees become sick, they should adhere to some basic healthy habits that will keep germs from spreading.
You can promote healthy habits in the workplace by providing flu shots at the office, placing tissues and hand sanitizer around the workplace, and putting handwashing posters at different spots in employee bathrooms.
8. Encourage Paid Time Off
It's highly recommended that you encourage your employees to actually use the PTO that they have. Some employees avoid using PTO because they want to be the "perfect" worker. However, working without any substantive breaks can tire out anyone. It's important that employees get some extra time off every now and then to recharge their batteries. Encouraging your employees to take paid time off should bolster productivity.
9. Facilitate Stress Relief
When employees have busy schedules, stress will invariably build over time. Whenever one of your employees is stressed, it's likely that their productivity will be relatively low. High stress accumulation is particularly common towards the end of lengthy projects. You should show employees that you're taking their mental health into account by encouraging numerous breaks during the day.
10. Put Program Guidelines in Writing
Once you've developed a comprehensive employee wellness program, you should put all of your program guidelines into writing. Doing so will make the program much more structured and easier to adhere to. These guidelines should be included in your employee handbook for the best results, which can also help with recruitment efforts. Whether you have a weekly or monthly newsletter that's sent to employees, some of the health and wellness guidelines your company has adopted should be placed into each newsletter as a reminder.
Keeping your employees healthy and motivated is the most effective way to boost productivity and morale. While employees wellness programs can include everything from stress reduction programs to health risk assessments, the 10 tips mentioned above should provide you with a great starting point when trying to improvement employee and corporate health.
5 Reasons To Choose Home Care Services for Your Hip Replacement Surgery
When it comes to home care after your hip replacement surgery, the most obvious benefit is being at home. It helps to be in a familiar place when you are trying to heal. The comfort of a quiet home always beats the noisier atmosphere of care facilities. It also beats the troubles of adjusting to a different bed. However, there are other benefits that make home care services in Monterey CA a valuable choice for you. Home care nurses help in several important ways.
Reduced Exposure To Other Illnesses
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, there has been increased concern about contracting contagious virus variants. There are also other viruses, such as the flu, that circulate every year. Any virus can negatively impact the immune system, and that can make surgery recovery harder. Being at home instead of in a care facility can limit exposure to many risks. In care facilities, there is also a greater risk of contracting MRSA or other infections. Home care teams follow strict disinfection and infection control procedures to reduce the risks of spreading viruses and bacteria.
Help With Transportation
Having help with transportation is important during hip replacement surgery recovery. For many people, it is difficult to rely on family members for help. Family members may not be properly trained to transfer you safely into a vehicle. Also, family may not know how to properly and safely help you in a public restroom. If you need transportation to a physical therapy appointment, a home care provider can help you get there safely. You do not have to worry about relying on community transit services. However, community transportation options may be helpful to you after you recover if you are unable to drive. When you work with a reliable home care agency, you can rest easier knowing that you can keep your appointments. Also, they help by keeping track of your upcoming doctor visits, physical therapy sessions or other important appointments.
Medication Reminders
Depending on your needs, your care team may administer your medications or set them up for you. If they set them up for you, they do so in a way that makes them easy to track. During hip replacement surgery recovery, most people take multiple medications. It can be easy to forget them if they have side effects that make you feel drowsy. You may also forget if you are tired from an altered sleep schedule or insufficient sleep. If you take a medication and forget that you took it, you also face the risk of an overdose. In-home nurses know how to help reduce such risks. They ensure that you get the medications you need when you are supposed to take them.
Assistance With Daily Activities
Many tasks you used to easily do before hip replacement surgery may be too difficult to handle alone during recovery. There are lifting restrictions, and bending is harder. Also, you have to learn to avoid bending forward while you sit down. With more limitations, it is helpful to have someone who can assist you. Additionally, you have someone knowledgeable to help you with exercises that your doctor asks you to complete at home. Your care team will help you safely move and walk. They will also ensure that you complete activities on schedule. In-home nurses help you move as much as possible to prevent blood clots and help the healing process. Although physical activities may seem painful at first, proper movement will aid in the healing process. Your care team will also communicate your progress with health care professionals. Together, they may adjust your recovery care plan with you as necessary to accommodate changes.
Dedicated Care
There are many benefits of having nursing staff who are dedicated solely to your care. Although they work with other people who live at home, they focus on you when they are in your home. In a facility, the staff have multiple people to oversee in one area. It is easier to make mistakes or miss something important in care facilities. With one-on-one care, you have the advantage of someone noticing changes in your health. Perhaps you need extensive help for several hours or minimal help for a short time. In either situation, you have someone there who is only there to help you. This makes it easier to review your care plan, talk about medical concerns, ask questions and discuss any ideas.
Home Care Services in Monterey CA for Hip Replacement Surgery Recovery
Your hip replacement surgery recovery atmosphere and care plan are two critical elements of healing. When you combine the benefits of home care, you have more peace of mind and less stress. This means that you can sleep better with the confidence of knowing that you have caring people on your side. Some people have coexisting issues, such as diabetes or cardiac health problems. If this applies to you, it helps to work with an agency that provides those as well. Working with a knowledgeable team will give you the added peace of mind that they understand all your unique needs. Perhaps you are planning an upcoming hip replacement surgery, and you want to consider your options now. Alternately, maybe you recently had hip replacement surgery and need in-home orthopedic care, and you are looking for immediate help. Either way, now is a good time to learn more about home care services in Monterey CA. There are also options available if you live in the Hollister or Central Coast areas.
10 Things to Know When Considering Hospice Care for a Loved One
When your family member or loved one has a terminal illness, hospice care allows them to live their remaining days in comfort at home. The ability to stay in a familiar environment provides peace and a sense of calm to a person with a terminal illness, and it allows them to enjoy a better quality of life during their last days. When considering hospice care service in Monterey CA and the surrounding areas of Hollister and Central Coast counties, the following tips will help you plan and know what to expect.
What Hospice Care Includes
CCVNA offers these hospice services to residents of Central Coast, Monterey County and Hollister counties who have a life-limiting illness. Hospice care includes personal care for the patient. For example, a nurse's aide may assist the patient with getting dressed, sitting up or bathing. Visiting and vocational nurses assist with wound care, administration of pain medication and administration of IV hydration. Hospice social workers help patients and their families with community resources, such as spiritual and bereavement counseling. Hospice care also includes dietary, pharmacy, beauty, pet therapy and speech therapy services.
Customized Care
Each person's situation is different. Some terminal illnesses cause patients to be in a lot of pain. Pain management is an integral part of hospice care. Some patients need special nutritional or hydration plans. For example, after a stroke, a person may have dysphagia. Hospice care includes nutritional counseling to ensure that a patient's dietary needs are met through oral or intravenous nutrition and hydration. As a person's condition changes or worsens, their care plan is updated to reflect their current needs. All of the hospice providers are specially skilled in caring for patients at the end of life.
Coordination of Care
Hospice care includes coordination of services. Each patient is paired with a care coordinator. They may be an administrator or a social worker. This person coordinates the schedules of providers who come to the patient's home. The care coordinator handles all of the scheduling and billing, so patients and their families don't have to worry about pre-authorization or other tasks.
Duration of Services
If a doctor states that your loved one has less than six months to live, it's time to arrange hospice care service in Monterey CA. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, most insurers, including Medicare, pay for up to six months of hospice care. Your loved one's doctor will need to complete documentation verifying the terminal nature of the illness so that hospice care can begin at the right time.
Medical Equipment Is Covered
Many patients in hospice need medical equipment for palliative care. Bandages, dressings and catheters are included in hospice care. Patients who need durable medical equipment, such as a walker or wheelchair, can get what they need. A patient's need for medical supplies and equipment is handled by the care coordinator, and they do the ordering and set up delivery of the products to the patient's home. This relieves families of the need to order and retrieve equipment.
Quality of Life Assessments
An important part of hospice care is ensuring that the patient and their family are receiving what they need. Because the goals of hospice are to help a person live as well as possible for the remaining time they have and to address their and their family's needs, patients receive regular quality of life assessments. These assessments address every facet of care, including physical, emotional, mental and spiritual care. If a patient reports that any of these areas are declining, action is taken to remedy the situation.
Respect for the Patient's Wishes
Hospice care focuses on the wishes of the patients. If a patient does not want oxygen, hydration or any other type of care, their wishes are respected. Hospice allows families and caregivers to spend enjoyable time with their loved one instead of dealing with paperwork and red tape. With a patient's physical, emotional and spiritual needs addressed, they and their families can focus on what is important to them.
Patients Preserve Their Dignity
In hospice care, patients are not subjected to painful tests or embarrassing procedures. Hospice patients don't have to deal with frequent blood draws, loud machines or interruptions in the middle of the night for vital signs. They don't have to undergo any invasive procedures. Preservation of dignity is a main consideration for many families when planning hospice care for their loved ones.
Reduce the Financial Burden on Family
Many families worry about the cost of caring for a loved one who has a terminal illness. Hospitals and nursing homes are expensive, and many families can't afford them. Hospice care is covered under Medicare Part A, which is also called original Medicare. Private insurers also cover hospice care. Under hospice supervision, a patient's end-of-life care costs are significantly lower. Care coordinators can help families estimate their share of costs for hospice care service in Monterey CA.
Families and Caregivers Benefit, Too
Caring for a person with a terminal illness is an exhausting undertaking. If this care is left to just one or two people without medical training, they and the patient may suffer. With hospice care, patients and their caregivers and families benefit. Caregivers get a break every day when the nurse, homemaker, therapist or doctor visits. This allows the caregiver to attend to their own personal and healthcare needs. Families juggling the care of their loved one with other needs, such as work and childcare, may feel relief knowing that their loved one is in capable hands. These services may reduce the risk of caregiver burnout and improve the patient's quality of life, explains the Cleveland Clinic. Short-term respite care also gives caregivers a chance to take a break during the day so that their stress levels don't get too high.
To learn more about hospice care for a loved one, contact us at CCVNA today.
Bereavement and Grief Counseling: How Support Groups Can Help After Losing a Loved One
What You May Not Have Known About Bereavement and Grief but Probably Should
While the sadness felt due to losing a family member or close friend is difficult, it needn't consume your life. And such a loss needn't color your otherwise bright sunny days with dark gray and ominous-looking clouds either, say many bereavement and grief counselors across the U.S. For those not familiar with bereavement and grief counseling, it is a form of psychotherapy that aims to help individuals process and better cope with the emotions and full-on psychosomatic symptoms that usually stem from losing a loved one. Some of the most common ones include the following:
- Shock and numbness
- Guilt
- Anger
- Fatigue
- Overwhelming sadness
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
Who Should Consider Bereavement and Grief Counseling?
Deciding whether or not to partake in bereavement and grief counseling, like any other form of psychotherapy, is a personal choice. After all, everyone processes and copes with the loss of a loved one differently. While some can cope with their emotions on their own, some might need a little help. And the individuals who might need such help can amount to many when you factor in the annual death rate in the U.S. According to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), an esteemed peer-reviewed medical journal, more than 3 million Americans died in 2020. And we can all reasonably conclude that many of the friends and family members of the deceased found themselves having to process and find ways to work through the grief they were feeling. That said, studies show that most people are willing to seek professional help when the loss of a loved one starts to impact their day-to-day life.
5 Signs That Might Suggest You Need Bereavement and Grief Counseling
When it comes to losing a loved one, the loss can be so profound that it can affect judgment to the extent that grief-stricken individuals don't realize they are drowning in negative, harmful emotions. If this is something that resonates with you, here are five signs that might suggest you need bereavement and grief counseling:
1. Finding it exceedingly difficult to move on - While there is no set amount of time that an individual should mourn the loss of someone close to them, mourning that seemingly has no end might suggest it is time to seek help. According to most counselors, this would constitute extreme grieving that goes on for more than one year.
2. An inability to process the loss of a loved one at all - In contrast to those who find it difficult to move on, some people seemingly never process or come to terms with the fact that they have lost a close friend or family member. And this can be just as concerning and often points to the need for professional help.
3. Grief starts to interfere with your work-life - After losing a friend or family member, it can be a challenge to get back into the proverbial swing of things at work. And this is not uncommon; however, if someone's grief is so severe that it takes a toll on their work performance to the extent they receive disciplinary warnings or get demoted, it would be a good idea to look into counseling.
4. Feeling chronically depressed - Most will agree that there is a considerable difference between a temporary low mood and full-on depression. That said, the latter often requires help from a bereavement and grief counselor to overcome, especially if those feelings of depression start to give way to self-harm or suicidal ideations.
5. Loss of something other than a friend or family member - While the thrust of this article has focused on the loss of human life, some people need help overcoming other sources of pain and sorrow. Studies show that, aside from the loss of a friend or family member, individuals will seek help from support groups or a counselor if any of the following results in them becoming grief-stricken:
- The loss of a beloved pet
- Divorce or separation
- Family trauma
- Job loss
- Losing one's home due to financial reasons or a natural disaster
- Aging, illness, or disease
What Happens During a Counseling Session With a Bereavement and Grief Counselor?
If you have never been part of any support groups or have partaken in any form of counseling with a licensed therapist, doing either after losing someone near and dear to you can seem daunting. Some might even argue that professional counseling might seem like the more daunting of the two when compared to attending support groups where everyone is struggling with a similar loss and can lean on one another for support. That said, bereavement and grief counseling is a branch of psychotherapy discipline traditionally carried out by licensed psychologists or psychiatrists. However, in some support groups, individuals can take advantage of a less structured form of psychotherapy by talking through their feelings with other members. The benefit of counseling sessions with a psychologist or psychiatrist is that these professionals are well-versed in helping individuals overcome the five most common stages of grieving as per the Kübler-Ross grief model. These five stages are as follows:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
It is worth noting that, in extreme cases, individuals who are working with a psychiatrist might be prescribed antidepressants or other medications to help elevate their mood. Indeed, everyone handles grief differently, and seeking help from a licensed mental health professional ensures you get access to a treatment modality that is right for you.
Bottom Line
All in all, whether you're grieving the loss of a friend, family member, or the ending of a relationship that has run its course, bereavement and grief counseling can help you feel whole again. And many cases, counseling sessions for this form of psychotherapy are covered by insurance. With that in mind, if you or someone you know are experiencing any of the tell-tale signs of extreme grief, consider speaking with a mental health professional today.
On the Fence About Getting a Vaccine? Learn How Immunizations Can Help Prevent These 10 Serious Illnesses
PLEASE NOTE: Central Coast VNA Community Services has discontinued the travel immunization program. As the community immunizers it has been a privilege to provide this vital service of disease prevention and healthy travel to our communities.
Vaccinations have become an important factor in the prevention of serious diseases that can lead to potentially deadly complications. However, you might be concerned about issues such as safety. Some people are against immunizations and have no problem telling everyone their opinions. With the advent of the internet, those voices may seem to be everywhere, causing doubt to bloom in your mind. However, your health care provider relies on medically backed research for vaccine safety and effectiveness. It's important to put your trust in professionals over social media. Without these preventative measures, you'd be more at risk of developing many serious conditions that could negatively impact your life.
Lifelong Vaccinations
Once you receive these immunizations and the required boosters, you're protected for the remainder of your life.
Polio
Polio can affect the brain and the central nervous system, often causing breathing difficulties, paralysis or even death. Thanks to widespread vaccinations, polio is no longer a problem in the United States. However, it's a small world due to travel. Vaccines can keep you from getting polio from travelers of other countries where the disease is still active.
HPV
Human papilloma virus has been linked to certain types of cancer in both men and women. Although your body may be able to fight this virus on its own, long-term cases cause cellular changes. These alterations can lead to the development of cancer over time. It can be spread through any type of sexual contact. There are several cancers that have been attributed to this virus. They are those of the cervix, vagina, vulva, rectum, penis, mouth and throat. The HPV vaccine has been shown to help prevent up to 90 percent of these types of cancers.
Pneumonia
Bacterial pneumonia often occurs as a complication of other viral infections, especially those that affect the respiratory tract. This illness can land you in the hospital. Additionally, if the bacteria reach the blood stream, this can lead to a deadly infection called sepsis. There are currently two pneumonia vaccinations available that fight against 13 or 23 strains of the bacteria. For some patients, getting both of these immunizations provides the best protection.
Repeated Immunizations
These vaccines require regular boosters, sometimes annually, in order to remain effective in the prevention of disease.
Pertussis
Also known as whooping cough, pertussis affects the lungs and can lead to death, especially in children. The newer vaccines provide less risk of side effects, but the provided immunity can wane over time. Over the last few years, pertussis cases have increased. Although there are multiple reasons for this, lack of vaccination appears to be one of the underlying factors. You can get continued protection from this disease that's trying to make a comeback with a tetanus booster.
Tetanus
Unlike most of the other diseases reduced by vaccination, tetanus is not spread from human to human. However, you can contract this possibly deadly virus through your everyday environment if it enters through broken skin. The intense muscle contractions caused by the virus can be so severe as to break bones. Regular boosters are needed to maintain protection from this excruciating disease.
Influenza
Thousands of people die each year due to the flu and related complications. Different viruses are more active from year to year. It's important that you're immunized annually to prevent the predicted strains that will be most prevalent each season. Some people are reluctant to visit a flu clinic since a few people claim they became ill after being vaccinated. This is not the case; symptoms that resemble the flu are just signs that your body is developing immunity against the virus.
COVID-19
Advanced medical research has given humanity its first chance at fighting off a plague through the preventative use of vaccines. Doctor's offices, clinics and pharmacies offer the COVID vaccine in Salinas and other local areas. You should have no problem finding a provider close by. While it's understandable to be hesitant due to all of the misinformation being spread on social media, it's important to listen to the advice and experience of your health care provider as a reliable resource.
Travel Vaccinations
There are several vaccines for traveling to Mexico or other countries, and these are just a few that are recommended.
Rabies
Did you know that rabies is 100 percent fatal? Although not as prevalent in the United States, this virus is still seen regularly in many countries. In Mexico, feral dogs roam freely and can be very aggressive, so get protection before you go. Once you've been infected, it's too late to get vaccinated.
Hepatitis A
Close contact with an infected person or consuming food or water in unsanitary areas can lead to contracting Hepatitis A. This is a very contagious disease that can cause inflammation of the liver. The more time you spend in a risky region, the greater the likelihood you'll come in contact with this virus. Vaccinations can prevent the virus from damaging your liver. Additionally, you can get vaccinated within two weeks of getting the virus.
Typhoid Fever
Although rare in the United States, typhoid fever is prevalent in underdeveloped countries. While the vaccine provides limited protection, it can prevent serious complications. Once you've contracted the virus, there's a small chance that you could become a lifetime carrier.
Addressing Your Concerns
Talk to your health care provider for any additional concerns you may have. This is what researchers know about vaccines:
- They are safe and effective for most people, and the benefits typically far outweigh the risks.
- Vaccines don't cause the disease they're meant to prevent. Only inactive or partial viruses are used in the manufacture of immunizations.
- Researchers haven't found a connection between childhood immunizations and autism. This lifelong developmental disability is typically detected at the same age as childhood vaccinations are given. However, the ingredient in question, thimerosal, hasn't been used in children's vaccines since 2001.