by Julie Theado | Nov 28, 2023 | Uncategorized
By Kristin Glasure, FAIRHOPE President and CEO
Becoming a caregiver often happens by default by taking care of a loved one who needs more help than they used to. Whether you are helping your grandfather clean his house or your mother with daily care, you may not feel equipped for this new role. We understand this can be overwhelming and it is okay and normal to feel unprepared. In this article, we are going to help ease the transformation with some guidance in becoming an educated caregiver.
By becoming an educated caregiver, we do not mean you need to take courses to become a doctor or nurse. Simply, it is educating yourself and the caregiver team (which can be families, friends, neighbors, or anyone you trust) on the diagnoses and rehabilitation of your family member/s.
Here are our suggestions for becoming an educated caregiver:
- Go to your loved one’s doctor appointments to get familiar with the diagnosis and ask questions.
- Seek organizations or non-profits related to your loved one’s specific diagnosis for support and resources.
- Visit websites with available information, such as:
- Alzheimer Association Local Chapters– alz.org
- Parkinson Disease Association– apdaparkinson.org
- Lewy Body Dementia– lbda.org
- The Association for Frontotemporal Dementia– theaftd.org.
- Visit the community resource finder tool at org to find local education programs, workshops and support groups that can help you learn caregiving techniques.
- If you feel it is necessary, take an online training course. There is a free online course through Coursera at org/learn/dementia-care.
There are several ways to become educated in caregiving. Our goal is to help you ease into this new role. Remember everyone learns differently and every situation is different. Stay tuned for our next blog on setting healthy boundaries and expectations.
by Julie Theado | Nov 27, 2023 | Uncategorized
FAIRHOPE Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc. will host their 27th Annual Celebration of Life Tree of Remembrance lighting in person on Wednesday, December 13 starting at 5 p.m. at the FAIRHOPE Pickering House, 282 Sells Road, Lancaster.
The tree’s orna
ments and donations are in honor of loved ones during the holiday season and benefit the FAIRHOPE Hospice Memorial Fund. The Tree of Remembrance provides a time to reflect and celebrate and at the same time, helps others who come to FAIRHOPE seeking care. Ornaments come in the shapes of an angel, cross, or heart and will be available for purchase in remembrance of loved ones.
“We understand remembering loved ones this time of year can be difficult,” said Kristin Glasure, President & CEO of FAIRHOPE. “The main reason we offer this special tradition is to allow people to celebrate and remember the many cherished memories and traditions they have made over the years with families and friends in their memory. We’re also grateful that this beloved event is returning to in-person for the first time since 2019.”
Memorial ornaments are available with a $15 or more donation and ornaments not shipped immediately will be displayed on the tree through December 31, 2023. To reserve your ornament, please order online at: https://fairhopehospice.org/donation-page/.
by Julie Theado | Nov 9, 2023 | Uncategorized
LANCASTER, Ohio (November 9, 2023) — 
Seth White, LNHA, recently joined FAIRHOPE Hospice & Palliative Care as vice president. Prior to joining FAIRHOPE, White served as the associate executive director at Friendship Village of Dublin. In his role, he supported all operations of the organization with a heavy focus on the licensed care areas. He has a varied background in healthcare operations including in assisted living and post-acute skilled nursing facilities.
As vice president at FAIRHOPE, he will work closely with President and CEO Kristin Glasure, the board of trustees and the entire staff to ensure the vision and mission of the organization continues to grow while providing compassionate end-of-life care.
“I’m a second-generation healthcare administrator who had the fortune to recognize my passion for serving seniors and helping others at an early age through the work of my father,” said Seth White, vice president of FAIRHOPE.
White graduated from Ohio University with a degree in long-term health care administration with a certificate in gerontology. He also obtained a licensed nursing home administrator (LNHA) designation.
“We are thrilled to have Seth join our team,” said Kristin Glasure, President & CEO of FAIRHOPE. “He brings a unique skill set that complements FAIRHOPE’s strengths while also looking at new opportunities for growth. We look forward to Seth meeting our wonderful community members, patients and families.”
White resides in Logan with his wife, Kristy, and daughter.
by Julie Theado | Oct 30, 2023 | Uncategorized
By Kristin Glasure, FAIRHOPE President and CEO
This month we are covering respite care, this service provides a primary caregiver a temporary break from the demands of caring for a sick, elderly or disabled family member. Respite care can be provided at home, daycare facilities, or residential or nursing institutions with overnight or weekend accommodations.
What are some benefits of using respite care? It provides time to recharge, take a trip, visit relatives or schedule appointments. Caregiving is a full-time job, so a temporary break can help reduce stress and fatigue. While also getting a temporary break, it helps to have peace of mind having certified care or help, taking care of your loved one while you recuperate. It is healthy and crucial for individuals to keep their sense of identity outside of the constant responsibilities of caregiving.
Let’s break down the process with steps and trusted resources.
Facilities that provide options for respite stays in Fairfield County:
- The Pickering House – 740-654-7077
- Synergy Home Care – 625-965-6760
- First Light Home Care – 740-322-6000
- Carroll Place – 740-654-4529
- Primrose – 740-653-3900
Facilities that provide options for respite stays in Perry County:
- The Pickering House – 740-654-7077
Facilities that provide options for respite stays in Hocking County:
- The Pickering House – 740-654-7077
How to schedule brief respite during the day/week:
You can schedule brief respite care within daycare, day camps, assisted living, nursing homes or in-home services. Respite care can also look different ways, such as:
- Volunteers- This may be available with faith-based, community, and other nonprofit organizations in and out of the community.
- Trained staff- Can come from home-care businesses that are available to cover short periods of time in and out of the home.
- Personal care providers- Can assist with daily living skills such as bathing, dressing, or feeding, which can be done in the home. This can also be an option for trusted family and friends to assist.
- Homemaker services- This is the support of meal preparation, shopping and housekeeping, which can also be an option for trusted family and friends to assist.
Respite care options on the ability to pay:
Assisted living facilities will typically cost more than adult day care programs. Most insurance plans won’t cover the cost of respite care. However, there are resources you can turn to for assistance. Such as a Medicaid Waiver Program, VA pension (you might qualify for a benefit called Aid and Attendance), long-term care insurance (call your insurance company and check) and adult services, especially those offered by community-based senior centers, nonprofit organizations, or churches, have sliding scale payment options.
Remember, respite care is available at our Pickering House for any of our hospice and palliative care patients and families without an additional cost. We’re happy to discuss options that may work best for your loved ones.
Our goal is to inform and educate those on respite care. Please remember that everyone deserves a break from an ongoing duty, and this is not selfish – this is self-care and beneficial for the caregiver and loved one. Stay tuned for our next blog on becoming an educated caregiver.
by Julie Theado | Sep 29, 2023 | Uncategorized
By Kristin Glasure, FAIRHOPE President and CEO
Can physical activity help reduce stress? The simple answer is yes, according to an article from Harvard Medical School, “Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol.” Your body, metabolism, heart, and spirits will all experience extraordinary changes as a result of regular exercise. It has a unique ability to energize, stimulate and calm, to combat depression and reduce stress.
Not only does physical activity help reduce stress, but it also helps prevent the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, osteoporosis and fractures, obesity, depression, and even dementia. Physical activity also helps slow the aging process, increases energy, and is said to prolong life, states an article from Harvard Health Publishing.
Below is a list of physical activities to help reduce stress:
- Yoga
- Playing sports such as tennis, golf, pickleball, etc.
- Swimming
- Walking
- Weightlifting
- Hiking
- Water aerobics
- Stretching
- Pilates
- Running
- Cycling
- Dance
As a caregiver finding time for exercise can be difficult, but it’s critically important for your health. Try to find time to do some physical activity every day. Maybe that’s doing yoga at home in your living or taking a walk in one of the Lancaster City Parks. If you think a local fitness class would provide the accountability and connection you need, here’s a list to get you started.
We hope we’ve provided some valuable information along with some physical activities you can use to relax and reduce stress. Be sure to look for our next article in the series, which will focus on finding time for yourself during respite care.
by Julie Theado | Aug 31, 2023 | Uncategorized
By Kristin Glasure, FAIRHOPE President and CEO
At this point in our article series, it is abundantly clear that caregiving is stressful. And, if you have been a caregiver, you know that is true. As a caregiver, you also likely have people encouraging you to take care of yourself and relax. As well-intentioned as they are, the thought of finding time and ways to relax can simply add to the stress of a busy caregiver. We are here to provide you with some ideas to help you incorporate relaxation in your schedule.
Working these relaxing techniques into your schedule does not have to be a huge time commitment. Sometimes it is as simple as pausing to take a few deep breaths. The following are eight simple relaxation techniques you can try this week.
- Music – Music is easily accessible, whether you take five minutes and listen to your favorite songs or choose meditation or calming music. YouTube is a good resource for different categories of music and guided meditation. Researchers at Stanford University found that “listening to music seems to be able to change brain functioning to the same extent as medication.” They note that music is something that almost anybody can access which makes it an easy stress-reduction tool.
- Positive Visualization – Creating a clear mental picture can give you the confidence, motivation and courage you need to make the most of your day – even the difficult ones. Positive visualization can include affirmations, vision boards, being in your happy place, drawing your goals, meditation, success mapping, etc. Click here to read more information about positive visualization.
- Breathing Exercises – Yes, just breathing can help you manage stress. Slowing your breathing helps you calm down. The next time you feel the stress bubbling up, take a couple of minutes to do some breathing exercises. WebMD has a few different breathing exercises that are easy to follow. Click here for more directions.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) – PMR exercises help reduce stress and anxiety by having you slowly tense and then relax each muscle. To see how this can work, watch this video: https://www.utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/counseling/anxietytoolbox/pmr.html
- Reading – Grab your favorite book and read for 30 minutes. Reading can relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing tension in your muscles. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. Click here to read more from National Alliance on Mental Health.
- Journaling – Writing in a diary or journaling helps you express thoughts and emotions, which can reduce your stress and anxiety. For more information from Purdue University, click here.
- Create Mindfulness Moments (CMM) – CMM is a type of meditation in which you focus on being deeply aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment this helps relax the body and mind and reduces stress. For more information from The Mayo Clinic, click here.
- Prayer – Prayer can create a relaxation response which lowers blood pressure and other factors heightened by stress. According to a study at the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing at the University of Minnesota, prayer can also release control to something greater than oneself, which can reduce the stress of needing to be in charge. Click here for more information.
We hope you’ve found a couple of ideas you can use to relax and reduce stress. Be sure to look for our next article in the series, which will focus on the use of physical activity.
