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.

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.