Blog

hospice winston-salem
Wednesday April 9th, 2014

Life support measures

Below are some commonly used methods of life support, along with a values statement you can use to help clarify your own thinking. (We do not support one decision over another. We offer these simply as a way to help you think about the issues and put your own feelings into words.)
hospice winston-salem
Wednesday March 26th, 2014

Tax breaks for in-home care

At tax time, our thoughts naturally turn toward deductions. What might count as a medical expense for your ill older relative? With elders, there's a fine line between health care and personal care. Perhaps your loved one needs some help getting up from a chair. Or perhaps he or she can no longer put together a meal. These situations create safety and health risks. But medical deductions typically cover only the costs of highly skilled providers. Personal tasks such as these don’t require a registered nurse!
Thursday March 20th, 2014

Spring Circular 2014

The Spring Circular 2014 contains:  Hospice HOPE RUN, Everybody is Somebody, Save the Dates, Got Plans?, A Change in Career, Creating Your Legacy of Hope, Thanks to Community Events, National Healthcare Decisions Day - April 16, www.GotPlansNC.org, Board Member in the Spotlight - Margaret Ann Hofler, Hospice Volunteers Help people live, Magnificent Tribute to Sweethearts Past. Click here to view the Spring Circular 2014.
hospice winston-salem
Wednesday March 19th, 2014

Insomnia in older adults

Sleep patterns change as we age. Older adults need just as much sleep as ever. But they often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep at night. And even with a full night’s sleep, many elders don’t feel refreshed in the morning. That’s because they don’t get enough time in the deep sleep stage of the sleep cycle. Most elders find ways to cope with these normal changes. Cutting back on caffeine and taking a 30-minute midafternoon nap are recommended remedies. Sometimes problems sleeping are linked to temporary stress or a disturbing event. These go away over time.
hospice winston-salem
Tuesday March 11th, 2014

When family members disagree

The person who is ill may have very clear thoughts about what he or she wants in terms of care at the end of life, but family members may not agree. This situation can make things very difficult for the professionals involved. They are legally and ethically bound to follow the patient's wishes. If all the paperwork is complete and available, then there is no question about what will be done.
hospice winston-salem
Wednesday February 26th, 2014

Family grief in the face of dementia

Grief is the expected response to a loved one’s death. We expect to mourn, and we receive comfort from others. But in the context of a dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, the loss is not as clear cut. Your loved one is "here but not here." And you do not receive the same support or acknowledgment for the very real losses of
kate b. reynolds hospice home
Wednesday February 19th, 2014

Signs of a heart attack

We all know the classic heart attack portrayed over and over again in movies and on TV: someone writhing in sudden, severe chest pain. But many heart attacks aren’t like that at all. Instead, they start slowly, typically with some mild, on/off pain or tightness in the chest. These signs are so much less dramatic than what people expect, they too often are ignored. The result, sadly, is often fatal when in fact a prompt response could have saved a loved one's life. Symptoms to watch for in both men and women: