Senior Sunrise

Hospice is a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families. Patients are referred to hospice when life expectancy is approximately six months or less. Hospice care can continue longer than six months if needed but requires physician certification. Here are some facts about hospice care:

• Hospice is not a place. Most hospice care takes place within the dying person’s home, whether it is his or her own home, the home of a family member or friend, a nursing or assisted living facility. Other options, if available from the provider, include a residential hospice facility or a hospice unit within a hospital.
• Hospice care neither prolongs life nor hastens death. Hospice staff and volunteers offer a specialized knowledge of medical care, including pain management.
• The goal of hospice care is to improve the quality of a patient’s last weeks, days and hours by offering comfort and dignity.
• Hospice care is provided by a team-oriented group of specially trained professionals (including as physicians, nurses, social workers, clergy), as well as volunteers and family members.
• Hospice addresses all symptoms of a disease, with a special emphasis on controlling a patient’s pain and discomfort.
• Hospice deals with the emotional, social and spiritual impact of the disease on the patient and the patient’s family and friends.
• Hospice offers a variety of bereavement and counseling services to families before and after a patient’s death.
• Hospice professionals make routine visits to the home, but family and/or friends are nearly always involved in care. Some families choose to hire additional services from private nursing agencies, which are typically not covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance.
• Hospices use trained volunteers to help with household chores and to give family caregivers respite time. For example, a volunteer can give the family caregiver a chance to run errands or simply take a walk or nap.
• If a patient’s condition improves during hospice care or if the patient desires, the patient can discontinue hospice care.

• Diet and supplements: The food you eat makes a big difference in your memory function. Certain high fat foods, such as grain-fed beef clog up your brain cells, while fish such as fresh frozen Alaskan salmon and some vegetables and fruit actually protect it.
• Stress Management: This is critically important, because, as we’ll see in future articles, chronic, unbalanced stress kills brain cells in the hippocampus, your brain’s memory center. The practice of regular relaxation techniques and social activity can help.
• Exercise: The latest research clearly shows the fundamental imperative of physical, mental, and mind/body exercise in maximizing your memory. Exercise may even grow new brain cells, recent research denotes.
• Anti-aging hormone replacement therapy. There may be a place for the artful replacement of certain hormones to help maintain not only optimal physical health, but brain health as well.
• Diet and supplements: The food you eat makes a big difference in your memory function. Certain high fat foods, such as grain-fed beef clog up your brain cells, while fish such as fresh frozen Alaskan salmon and some vegetables and fruit actually protect it.
• Stress Management: This is critically important, because, as we’ll see in future articles, chronic, unbalanced stress kills brain cells in the hippocampus, your brain’s memory center.
• Exercise: The latest research clearly shows the fundamental imperative of physical, mental, and mind/body exercise in maximizing your memory. Exercise may even grow new brain cells, recent research denotes.
• Anti-aging hormone replacement therapy. There may be a place for the artful replacement of certain hormones to help maintain not only optimal physical health, but brain health as well.

Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and oppressed. Preserve my life, for I am loyal; save your servant who trusts in you.   Listen, Lord, and answer me.

                                Listen, Lord, and answer me.

You are my God; pity me, Lord; to you I call all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant to you, Lord, I lift up my soul.        Listen, Lord and answer me.

Lord, you are kind and forgiving, most loving to all who call on you. Lord, hear my prayer; listen to my cry for help.             Listen, Lord and answer me.

Teach me, Lord, your way that I may walk in your truth, single-hearted and revering your name.

                                Listen, Lord and answer me.

I will praise you will all my heart, glorify your name forever, Lord my God. Your love for me is great; you have rescured me the the depths.

                                Listen, Lord and answer me.