Complementary Therapies in Hospice Press Release

 

Contact: Cassandra Freeman                                                                                      IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tel: 770-916-4503

cfreeman@uhs-pruitt.com

 

 

United Hospice Continues to Hold Hands through Complimentary Therapy Programs and Training

 

 

Cobb County, GA (August 2009) – Even with talk of a raging flu this year, United Hospice is not afraid to hold hands. 

United Hospice is offering training in hand massage, aromatherapy, and Healing Touch Therapy in its Complementary Therapy Programs.  The program is open to all members in the community interested in becoming hospice volunteers-free of charge. 

“Touch” is the theme present in the complimentary therapies that are part of the care to terminally ill patients at United Hospice. “Curing is different from healing,” says Dawn M. Peralta, RN, Certified Healing Touch Practitioner and Certified Hospice and Palliative Care nurse on staff at United Hospice.  While medicine has its importance, therapeutic tools encourage an interactive intervention designed to promote healing.

Studies on the effects of touch show mood change, reduced stress, reduced pain, bonding between a parent and child, and in itself, is a form of communication. While giving a hand massage, caregivers often find that they understand patients better.

 “Understanding the power of touch is important to the way we deliver care,” says Cassandra Freeman, Administrator, “We can’t be afraid to hold the hands of our patients and families especially during this journey in their lives.”

            The Complimentary Therapy Volunteer Program will be offered monthly starting October 2009 in Austell, GA. For more information or to become a hospice volunteer, please call 770-916-4503.

Great Words taken from Debbie Ford

I received the following in my email today and it really “spoke” to me. I wanted to pass it along. It comes from Debbie Ford. For more information visit http://www.debbieford.com/

ARE YOU LISTENING?

What will it take to make you listen to the voice of your own soul? To make you tune into your wants and needs? How many sleepless nights must you stay awake to unfold the great mystery from within?

There is a small whisper of a voice that is wanting and needing to be listened to. There is a voice of love and compassion that wants to sing out loud ~ without suppression. It is time for the voice to be heard, to be listened to, to be honored and acknowledged as the voice of your own soul. Now is the time that you must stop tricking yourself into believing that you are the one in total control of your life when, in reality, there is a wounded and hurt part of you that is screaming to be let out, that is tired of you marching to the same drummer. Maybe you’re aware of this small voice that shouts out in anger as it can no longer tolerate living a life of business as usual.

So stop it. Stop it now. Don’t head to the same old nonsense. Try being sick of it because, believe me,

Life Lessons

If working in Hospice and the past several years of my personal life have taught me one thing, it is that life is short and we are never guaranteed tomorrow (even though we like to think we are). So I wanted to spend Mother’s Day with my Mom. Since I have moved away about 11 years ago, I have never gotten to spend Mother’s Day with her. So my sister, my Mom and I met in the mountains of Virginia this past weekend for a girls get-away. We had so much fun. Just hanging out on the porch with a glass of wine, catching up on gossip, shopping, eating out, relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. I have a feeling it will become one of my most treasured memories-our first girls weekend together. Most of the time was laughing but sometimes the conversations turned to serious subjects. My sister shared with me a speech she wrote this semester for her first year in college. 

Before I share this let me just tell you a little side story.

Tips to Deal with Swine Flu

I have to admit when I first read about the Swine Flu, my initial reaction was a little fear. My second reaction was, ‘Thank Goodness I have the knowledge of natural remedies for wellness and prevention of illness. ‘ I believe that the one thing we need to avoid is unneccessary fear and panic. I also believe that sales and ratings for media increase when everyone is talking about a subject. I understand it is hard  when you read “Swine Flu kills..in Mexico” and the next day “Swine flu found in the United States.” I have been asked several times over the past few days how to deal with the Swine Flu. My answer is the same as with any other virus (cold/flu). I wanted to share the advise I have given to others with you.

Tips of the Week to Find Wellness Within

Today I want to share some valuable advice my Mom sent me when I was going through a rough time. It still hangs on my fridge today for a reminder just when needed. At the top is hand written “Hang in There Dawn. It will all work out- – -the way it is supposed to!  Keep these things in mind!” More than the words is the gesture. Never doubt that reaching out in love to someone can create a big impact, even what may seem like the smallest thing.

1. Try everything twice. On Madams tombstone (of Whelan’s and Madam) she said she wanted this epitaph: Tried everything twice. . .loved it both times!

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. (keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches)

3. Keep learning: Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s!

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.

6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love: Whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next country, to a foreign country, but NOT to where guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. I LOVE YOU!

11. Forgive not those who made you cry. You might not get a second time. Lost time can never be found.

12. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

And Mom added one more that has been one of the biggest lessons in my life and one that I remind myself on almost a daily basis

        ” & Remember: If it is not your bag – - – Don’t touch it”

That advice stems from a horoscope that came right at the needed time. I have a tendency to want to “fix” everything and everyone–even when they don’t want to be fixed. I Can’t remember the entire thing word for word but the jist of it is “Everyone is carrying baggage. At the same time everyone is responsible for their own baggage. You need to understand that if it’s not your bag to carry or be concerned about-don’t touch it”.  I LOVE YOU, MOM.

Have a wonderful, love- filled week All!

Tips of the Week to Find Wellness Within

I had planned on writing these tips on Sunday and then again on Monday but here I am on Tuesday sitting down to give you the tips of the week. I now know why. The information on forgiveness just came to me today & I plan on sharing more later. Until then…

Body-Get the Right amount of sleep. Many of us fit sleep in to our schedule and really we should be setting our schedule around our sleep. Most do not realize how important the right amount of sleep really is or that each of us needs a different amount to function at our optimal best. It is easy to get into a pattern of under or over sleeping

A Relaxing Bath

This week I gave some tips on an energizing bath. Sometimes you don’t want an energizing bath time. Actually most of the time I don’t. I have tried to create a little before bed ritual around a nightly bath. I used to shower in the morning but have found that nighttime baths are the best for me. There are many reasons I have found. One is that water clears the energy field.  A bath at the end of the day, signifies to me clearing away all “the stuff” of the day. The warm water also helps the muscles to relax. To intensify this I add Epsom salt. Epsom salt also clears the energy field and relaxes the muscles. I have a picture above my bathtub that says, “Rejuvenate, Relax, Escape”. When I am sitting in the tub, I cannot help but see it. I bought it at Burlington Coat Factory, quite frankly, because it was on clearance and it matched the colors of my bathroom. It has become priceless to me. It really says it all. Everyone in my family now knows when I say, “I’m going to take a bath” it means ‘get her now or wait.’  That took a little training…really I just said one day, “when I am in the bathroom with the door closed taking a bath, do not interupt me” and I needed to remind my youngest once or twice. The training time is well worth it. Some days the bath is longer and other times its quick, but it’s my time and it’s every day not once a  month or once every 6 months. I think that is key. Find little things every day that you enjoy. Self-care, especially for mothers, nurses, daughters, wives & other caregivers is a necessity not a privilege.

Tips of the Week to Find Wellness Within

Hope you are doing well and finding some benefit in the tips. Remember this is not meant to be another thing on your “to do” list. Jump in whenever/wherever you want. Tips for this week

Body-this is a great energy boost I found in a teen magazine 20+ years ago. Fill the tub with really warm/hot water & soak for 10-15 minutes. Now drain out about 1/2 of the water and refill with luke warm water. Mix the water as it’s refilling. Something I’ve used lately to add more punch to this is adding essential oils. My favorite for increasing energy are a few drops of peppermint and a few drops of lemon. Remember, oil and water do not mix. You will need something to help integrate the oil into the bath. This can be done by first putting the oil drops in Epsom salt, milk or honey then adding to running water.

Mind-Last week we worked on truly looking into our eyes and speaking nicely to ourselves. If you were like me, this simple act can be very profound. I would like you to really pay attention to the self-talk you are using this week. Pay attention to “the voices” in your own mind. The first step is becoming aware. You may be surprised to realize how we talk negatively to ourselves each day. Now imagine your mind is tape recorded messages. When you find yourself saying something negative like “You can’t do that”. I want you to stop, rewind the tape and replace the negative with a positive. So you would say to yourself as soon as you become aware of the negative thought, “Stop. Rewind. You can do anything you choose to do.”

Soul-Use music to soothe your soul. Music can have a profound effect on the mood. I witnessed this first hand when working in hospice care. We provided CD players and CDs to almost all of our patients because soothing music had the power to stop the stress/pain cycle. So when you feel like changing your mood use music. Play 15 minutes of music to match your mood, then switch to music that matches the mood you want to achieve. For example, you come home from work exhausted put on some slow soft music (elevator-type music) while sitting in your favorite chair. Now put some upbeat, make-you-wanna-dance music & play for 30 minutes. Sing out loud and dance if the mood strikes. This will give you a nice boost.

Hope you find these tips helpful. Remember to always use therapeutic grade essential oils. Call your Young Living Distributor or contact me at ( 678 ) 877-7906 or dawn@findwellnesswithin.com for information on where to get your oils.

Substantiate Your Salad

I wanted to give you some tips on how to increase the fruits and vegetables in your diet.  A great way is to add salads to  your day. Many think of salads as “rabbit food” as my dear Hubby refers to them. But it doesn’t have to be the case. I just saw a great meal salad on The Today Show-Spinach & Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing.

Tips of the Week to Find Wellness Within

OK, it’s time for 3 more tips to improve your life. So far I have suggested

drinking more water

 stretching

breathing

laughing

connecting with friends &

finding something you’re passionate about and getting in the game

Pretty simple, right? I don’t know about you but it has really made an impact on my life in the past few weeks.  I’m feeling more positive and optimistic. If you haven’t been doing these things but want to –”just do it” like the saying goes. Just jump in. This week’s tips have been swirling around in my head for several days. Here they are: