UH loves our caregivers
University Health would like to offer a huge “thank you” to all our caregivers! We recognize and appreciate the hours and effort that is required to support your loved ones through an illness, injury or chronic condition.
When you are at the Truman or Lakewood campus, take a moment to stop by the desk of any of our ambassadors. When your loved one identifies you as their caregiver, we would like to honor you with our “University Health Loves Family Caregivers badge. This badge was developed by our Patient and Family Advisory Council.
Wear the badge with pride while at the hospital! On the back of your badge, you will find a QR code that leads you to this page full of resources and information you might find helpful.
Please take our caregiver survey If you would like to share your ideas on how we can better serve you as caregivers, please contact Deb Sisco, Manager of Patient Advocacy and Engagement at Deborah.Sisco@uhkc.org.
Resources and Information for Caregivers and Patients
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive disease causing increasing levels of damage to your kidneys.
37 million adults in the US are currently living with CKD, and about 90% don’t even know they have it.
Click here to read Today’s Caregiver magazine's terrific article on preventing and/or managing CKD.
Take a quick quiz from the National Kidney Foundation to find out if you are at high risk for kidney disease.
Your doctor has suggested you eat a bit healthier and you are now paying attention to those nutrition labels on the backs of those cans of vegetables or that bag of pasta. How do you know you are making a healthier choice?
With grant funding from the Health Forward Foundation, University Health has worked with a number of community partners to develop the Healthy Food Shopping Card. Designed to be able to carry in your wallet, the card will easily tell you just how healthy the levels of salt, added sugar and saturated fats are in the foods you are choosing.
Simple to use, the card uses the Stoplight model of nutrition labeling. When you read a label, if the level of salt, added sugar or saturated fat lands in the red column, you want to try to eat that choice just every once in awhile if possible, and not at every meal. Enjoy foods in the yellow level a bit more often, but foods with numbers in the green are optimal choices and you should try to eat them as often as you can.
You are welcome to print the card from this article, or stop by the food pantry (UH3 Pavilion) when you are at the University Health Truman Medical Center campus and ask for a laminated pocket card. Place the card in your wallet and begin making healthier choices every time you shop!
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Lonely? You’re not alone
Do you ever have feelings of loneliness? According to a report from the Surgeon General, you are not alone. Surveys indicate that more than 50% of the population report feelings of loneliness or a lack of quality connection to others. Numerous studies have shown these feelings of loneliness can be bad for your physical health.
It’s important to note that being alone and being lonely are two different things. Many times people can actually be physically alone but not feel lonely. As a matter of fact, sometimes a little “me” time can be a welcome break from the busy schedules many of us face every day.
Loneliness, however, is a feeling we get when the relationships we have with others do not match up to what we would like to see for ourselves. It’s about having limited, or sometimes no quality time or connection with other people… and it’s far from healthy.
According to the report, feelings of loneliness can have the same effect on your body as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day, resulting in an increased risk for premature death. Loneliness has also been tied to:
- a 29% increased risk for heart disease
- a 32% increased risk for stroke
- lowering the ability to ward off viruses or respiratory infections
- an increased chance of depression, anxiety and dementia
The good news is there are things you can do to combat feelings of loneliness. Ideas might include:
- Put together a group in your neighborhood who can help with small chores folks have around their homes.
- Tutor a school-age child. Just letting children read to you or reading books to them goes a long way to assist their learning.
- What are your interests? Do you quilt? Like to cook? Play music? Write? Have a special skill? Start a group in your neighborhood, your church or even on line with people who have the same interest.
- Bake cookies for your neighbor.
- Invest in your relationships. Pick up the phone. Visit. Spend an afternoon together. It doesn’t have to take a great deal of money. An afternoon playing cards around the kitchen table can be full of fun and laughter.
The possibilities are endless! The key is to get out there and connect with people. Taking those first steps to combat loneliness is as important to your good health as exercising, eating right and following the advice of your doctor.
We also recently asked one of our psychologists for some tips to avoid loneliness. Watch the video here:
To read the full Surgeon General’s full report and see more ideas for individuals, parents, businesses and communities, click this link.
Develop a care plan
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends developing a Care Plan for yourself and your loved ones. According to the CDC, “a care plan is a form that summarizes a person’s health conditions and current treatments. Many care plans include a summary of your health conditions, medications, healthcare providers, emergency contacts, and end-of-life care options (for example, advance directives). People complete their care plans in consultation with their doctor, and if needed, with help from a family member or home nurse aide."
Download a fillable care plan form. To learn more about this resource, visit the CDC’s Care Plan page here.
Caring for the caregiver
The caregiver is of vital importance to a patient's wellness, treatment, and recovery. We frequently update this page with important insights and resources for caregivers.
According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, about a third of caregivers in the United States are at least 65-years old. University Health psychologist, Abbey Gripka, PhD, says it’s essential for those caregivers to also care for themselves. Here’s how:
- SET BOUNDARIES
Time away from the person you’re caring for is important. “Often times you can set up those boundaries, letting the person know you’re not ‘being away’ because you don’t love them, but that sometimes you need to step away and that’s actually a really healthy thing,” explains Dr. Gripka.
- SCHEDULE A TIME OUT
Have a weekly appointment for yourself. Go shopping, exercise, enjoy nature. Scheduling our time out allows you to have another caretaker in place.
- THE BASICS
Make sure you’re taking time to eat well, to sleep and to exercise. Making your own wellness a priority is key in having the strength to care for someone else.
Patient engagement and engaged patients tips
ORGANIZE YOUR INFORMATION
Fall in love with that 3 ring binder! Having a large 3 ring notebook will allow you to keep all of your medical information in one place and easy to access. You can organize your notebook in any way that makes sense to you, just be sure to include appointment dates and times, discharge instructions, a current medicine list, a place to keep questions you want to ask your doctor, your insurance information and any other information that you, your caretaker or your provider would find helpful. Keep your notebook in an easily accessible place and remember to always bring it with you to appointments.
HOW TO BECOME AN ENGAGED PATIENT
Research tells us that when patients are engaged in their care, their healthcare experience is safer, they are more satisfied and they have better health outcomes. We care about you and want you to have the best possible experience each and every time you come to University Health!
WASH THOSE HANDS PLEASE!
Handwashing is probably the number one way to make sure germs don’t spread, and infections don’t happen. Although most people working in hospitals and many visitors do a great job of remembering to wash their hands when they enter a room, even the best get busy or may forget.
When you are in the hospital or at a visit with your doctor, take care that anyone entering the room washes their hands before touching you or any of your equipment. If you see someone not wash their hands when they enter, speak up if they are about to touch you or anything in the room. Simply ask, “Would you kindly wash your hands or use the hand sanitizer before we continue?” This question can go a long way to keep you safe from infection.
MEDICATIONS
Keep a list of your current medications and their dosage in your wallet or purse. Doing this allows you to give the information to any doctor you may need to see.
Knowing what medications you are taking helps doctors ensure any new medicines they prescribe you will work safely with those you are already taking.
Caregiver & engaged patient resources
Institute for Healthcare Improvement: http://www.ihi.org
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: http://www.ahrq.gov
National Family Caregivers Association: http://www.caregiveraction.org
Consumers Advancing Patient Safety: http://www.patientsafety.org
AARP: (Also has a link for caregiver resources in Spanish)
https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/?intcmp=AE-CAR-LRS-IL
Alzheimer’s Association: www.alzheimers.gov
National Institute on Aging - Tips for caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers/caregiving
National Alliance for Caregiving: www.caregiving.org
Veteran’s Administration: www.caregiver.va.gov
Today's Caregiver Magazine: caregiver.com
Caregiver 101: https://caregiver.com/topics/caregiver-101/