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Having trouble viewing this email?
Click here to view in your browser. Ed had an easy-going personality at the ripe old age of 82. He came to the ER with his worrisome wife, Sally, due to diarrhea and dehydration. Ed felt weak, but he remained upbeat. He was dealing with prostate cancer that failed to respond to two different courses of chemotherapy. Sally was cautiously optimistic that the next round of chemo might work.
Sally’s inability to acknowledge the difficulty Ed had experienced with experimental treatment stunned the emergency physician. How much more would Ed need to endure before cutting his losses? The answer to this question seemed to not be up to Ed, but left to "the boss." Sally had a vested interest in
keeping Ed alive as long as possible regardless of the harm done.
If we use the four seasons as an example of the stages of life, was this the right "season" in Ed's life for further medical treatment? With the focus on treating the disease, Ed’s
wellness was being neglected. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again becomes the cause for yet another treatment plan. One advantage of seeing an emergency physician is that family caregivers have a fresh pair of eyes on the situation. The physician’s perspective might shine a clearer light on the season your patient is encountering.
This is a season for a period of discovery and concession that needs to ignite a caregiver’s all five senses:
"Pop Drop" Study Finds More ER Visits &
Higher Costs for
Older Disabled Patients
with Stressed Caregivers
Often the healthcare system comes up with terminology that is not understandable and
identifies problems with no clear solutions.
"Pop Drop" = Caregiver Burnout
Burnout occurs from caregivers attempting to beat the odds of their patients dying rather
than leaving well enough alone.
In a study reported by the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 3000 caregivers took standard tests to measure their fatigue, mood, sleeping habits, health and happiness. This paper points out that emergency department visits were 23 percent higher among
patients whose caregivers were fatigued or had their own health issues, which results in higher Medicare costs.
Healthcare policy researchers believe it "makes sense to incentivize home caregiving." This implies paying family caregivers higher wages. This article also suggests a round-the-clock
call line for caregivers and formal respite care. Although not mentioned in the article, the latter part would be provided for by a home-based palliative care service.
Thus, the clear solution to caregiver burnout and Medicare cost savings = Paying for palliative care.
October 3, 2017
10:00 - 11:30am
Caregiver Support Group
Faith
Presbyterian Church
1600 N Del Web, Sun City, AZ 85351
October 17, 2017
Noon - 2:00amAlzheimer's and Dementia - Phoenix
Church of the Beatitudes
555 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85021
Is Palliative Care Right For YOU?
by Kevin J. Haselhorst, MD The key to making medical decisions
is understanding palliative care:
Palliative Care is the
bridge between
advance care
and end-of-life
care.
When you no longer have your health,
how will you spend your time and money?
Is quality of life more important than
staying alive at any cost?
This booklet will teach you: - What palliative care means in practical terms
- The value of making your own medical decisions
- How to gain peace of mind with chronic
illness
Command respect during your next
doctor visit by saying,
"I receive palliative care."
Learn more at KevinHaselhorst.com
SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY
With my mom turning 91 this month, every trip home to visit her becomes a sentimental journey of memories. I’m never sure if this might be the last time I see her, or if she’ll
even remember me. I wanted to do something special for her, but keep it simple. I asked my sister to join me just in case I needed to be reintroduced to mom. She agreed and said she was caring for her 4-year-old granddaughter the Sunday I intended to visit.
I decided the best way to engage mom was through
hosting a real life tea party, complete with linens, party favors (Bissinger's Chocolates) and hats. Doris Day started the party with mom’s favorite song, "Sentimental Journey." This song never fails to put a jig in her step. To keep her "in the mood," Glenn Miller provided the background music.
My
nephew and his 1-year-old son crashed the party for dessert. Mom and he bonded like never before, while taking turns using her glider to walk. It was remarkable to see how we begin and end life similarly. Mom’s mind was drifting near the end, and she asked me this esoteric question, "Where did you come from? How did you get here?" I replied, "It was all part of the master plan for your sentimental journey."
#TributeTuesday
Share a tribute to a loved one who has died, or to mark the anniversary of their death.
From August 29th: #TributeTuesday: Lying in a nursing home/caught between heaven and earth, my friend, Dennis Rose, braves the end of life with a full
heart.
#WishfulWednesdayHave a wish for the weekend? Post your plan on Wednesday. Practice expressing end-of-life wishes during the prime of
life. From August 30th: #WishfulWednesday: Make plans midweek for the end of week. So too, make your working career a memorable labor of love for humanity.
How to Approach Living While
Dying
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Living While Dying Please support this film that makes “living while dying” easier for everyone to engage.
Help spread the word about
this Generosity
fundraiser! UPDATE
Immense Possibilities is a weekly public TV
and internet series that featured an interview with Cathy Zheutlin
about Living While Dying.
Watch the interview: (10 minutes)
Watch on Vimeo
Cathy needs to raise more money for the music, the sound mix and the color corrections.
Please help get the word out to others you think
might want to back this project!
Only have time for 24 seconds?
As Cathy explores the reality of her loved ones facing death, she turns the camera around and looks at herself.
How will she approach living while dying?
The end result of the film is to have viewers ponder and pick their own rite of passage.
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