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New Year’s Resolutions for Caregivers

Posted on January 10, 2019 by ViaQuest

A new year is a chance for a new start and a fresh beginning. A chance to take inventory of your life and better yourself in all areas possible. While some people’s New Year’s Resolutions are to lose weight or quit smoking, others’ are simply to not forget a prescription, or to not feel guilty about taking the day off.

It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the demands of caregiving, and this can lead to stress, exhaustion, and burnout. The weight of caregiving can easily provoke thoughts of imperfection and self-criticism, but it’s important to remind yourself that you’re doing the best you can, while making a true difference in a loved one’s life.

So, at the beginning of another new year, we’ve created a list of New Year’s Resolutions for caregivers that are realistic to keep throughout the entire year. Print these out, remind yourself daily, or choose one every month to stick to, but remember that any progress is good progress, and you are never alone.

Realistic New Year’s Resolutions for Caregivers

Find time to take care of yourself. You owe it to yourself and your care receiver to carve time out specifically for you.
Don’t feel guilty about taking time for yourself. Taking a break will allow you to come back feeling recharged and more focused, ultimately making you a better caregiver.
Don’t fall behind on your own health exams and yearly appointments. When you’re so focused on making sure your loved one makes their appointments, it can be easy to neglect your own annual health screenings and dental exams. Schedule your yearly appointments in January and set a reminder.
Consider joining a caregiver support group. This is a great way to talk with people going through the same experiences as you. If you can’t find time to leave the house, there are many online groups available.
Organize all your loved one’s medical papers. Get together a folder with all medical information, a health care proxy, and an Advanced Directive.
Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks. Ask friends and family to help run errands, do chores, or aid in short-term respite care. You may feel reluctant to accept help, but chances are, close friends will be more than willing to.
Remind yourself that your loved one did not choose their illness or disability, and no one is to blame to stress or frustration.
Remind yourself that you are imperfect, you will make mistakes, and there is no need to feel guilty about it. You’re doing the best you can.

One final thing to remind yourself of this new year is that you do not have to handle this alone. ViaQuest Home Health and ViaQuest Hospice support family caregivers by adding an extra layer of support and ensuring the wellbeing of both the caregiver and the patient. If you’re interested in how ViaQuest can help, call 855-289-1722 for support, answers, and real help.

National Hospice and Palliative Care Month

Posted on November 4, 2019June 28, 2021 by ViaQuest

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. ViaQuest recognizes hospice care as a service that provides comfort, dignity, and respect to those coping with a serious or life-limiting illness and their families. While we realize the subject of hospice is often fraught with both emotion and confusion, we feel that this often-misunderstood facet of care is a valuable option that many families don’t explore because of the misconceptions surrounding it. Hospice is about allowing patients with life-limiting illnesses to navigate their end-of-life journey with dignity and compassionate care and supporting their families and caregivers.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization shares some history about hospice care, noting that the first modern hospice, St. Christopher’s Hospice, was created in suburban London by physician Dame Cicely Saunders. Saunders began working with terminally ill patients in 1948 and coined the term “hospice” to describe specialized care provided for dying patients. In 1963, while serving as a guest lecturer at Yale University, Dame Saunders introduced the concept of hospice care to medical students, nurses, social workers, and chaplains. Pointing to photographic evidence of terminal patients with their families, she showed the dramatic improvement brought about by providing symptom control care. Hospice care as we know it today is a direct result of this lecture.

Six important points to know about hospice from NHPCO:

Hospice care is usually provided in the home – wherever the patient calls home. This includes assisted living communities and other long-term-care settings.
Hospice cares for people with any kind of life-limiting illness. Patients of every age and religion can access hospice care.
Hospice is fully covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private health plans and HMOs.
Hospice is not limited to six months of care. Patients and families are encouraged to contact a hospice provider when they receive a terminal diagnosis instead of waiting until the “last days” to benefit from all that hospice care has to offer. Pain management and symptom control offer significant physical benefits for patients as well as increased quality of life.
Hospice is not “giving up”; rather the focus is on caring, not curing. Hospice organizations are also trained to help family members cope with the emotional aspects of caring for a terminally ill loved one, as well as the grieving process when that loved one passes.
Anyone can contact hospice – so call your local program to learn if hospice is right for you or your loved one. Each hospice provider in an area may do things slightly differently, so choose an organization based on your needs. Many hospitals and skilled care facilities can offer suggestions or information on hospice care.

Choosing hospice does not mean you’re giving up hope—it just means a different kind of hope. A hope that your loved one can choose how to spend their final months, a hope that they will live as well as they can for as long as they can, and be surrounded by people who love them. ViaQuest Hospice can provide you with tools and support to make the decision and transition simple, peaceful, and full of hope.

If you have questions about hospice care, need support dealing with an illness, or feel it is time to focus on quality of life, call us at (855) 289-1722. We have a team of caring professionals on-call, ready to help.

Making Memories

Posted on December 16, 2019 by ViaQuest

What My Hospice means is different to each individual and family we serve. For Carl, it meant sharing Christmas with his family and giving them gifts, and his hospice team at ViaQuest made that possible.

Carl Snowberger’s favorite thing to do every year at Christmas was to be Santa and give individualized gifts to his family. Our hospice team helped him fulfill his wish to continue this important family tradition one last time.

Carl was able to sign a card for each individual gift, and the hospice team laminated each card to create keepsakes for the family. He also received a photo frame that the family signed, which they will use for their Christmas family photo.

Family pictures were taken, followed by pizza from Arnis, his favorite restaurant. The day also included a reading of the Christmas story by ViaQuest’s Chaplain, gift opening, cookies and hot cocoa with Santa, Christmas music, laughter, and stories. Bereavement coordinator, Tammy, was able to meet and mingle with family to establish a trusting relationship for the future.

Rosewalk Village of Lafayette allowed ViaQuest to use their club room to host this event, working well with the hospice team to ensure that Carl received the best care possible.

“I want to thank each and every one of you who helped make this event possible, even those who participated behind the scenes,” said Ashley Garrett, Branch Director at ViaQuest Hospice. “We work for such a giving company who finds as much passion and significance in these moments. This was a beautiful experience and makes me proud to be ViaQuest strong!”

Written by: NHPCO, My Hospice campaign

Getting a Passing Grade

Posted on February 22, 2021July 7, 2021 by ViaQuest

Knowledge to More Effectively Manage Congestive Heart Failure

For patients with heart problems, being released from the hospital is often just the beginning.

Statistics show that approximately 20% of heart patients are readmitted to the hospital within a month. That means many patients simply aren’t prepared to deal with the new realities of their issues, and need information and support if they’re to avoid a prompt return to the hospital or the emergency room. Readmission rates are so high that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services developed financial reforms to deal with their economic impact.

American Heart Month in February is a time to show awareness for those at risk of falling victim to what was, pre-COVID, the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. But for those who suffer from congestive heart failure, as with all other heart ailments, that awareness needs to continue year-round – those afflicted won’t be getting a break in March.

What is Congestive Heart Failure?

Congestive heart failure is a chronic condition that impairs the heart’s ability to pump blood. Fluid buildup around the heart reduces its ability to pump efficiently, forcing it to expend more energy and send less oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. To compensate for these problems, the heart may become enlarged and begin pumping faster to get blood to the rest of the body. In addition, blood vessels narrow, and blood is diverted from the brain to other parts of the body.

The Symptoms of CHF

Symptoms of congestive heart failure include, but are not limited to:

Shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea, particularly when lying down
Fluid buildup, also known as edema
Sleeplessness
Chest pain
Dizziness
Confusion
Difficulty concentrating
Increased stress
Water retention, resulting in swelling and/or weight gain
Swelling
Bloated or upset stomach
Loss of appetite
Dry, hacking cough
Rapid or irregular heartbeat, known as heart palpitations

Additional Struggles for Patients

Patients who deal with the effects of congestive heart failure on a daily basis also tend to encounter secondary symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. They’re more sensitive to extreme weather – the increased blood flow and sweating associated with warm weather give the heart more work today, while the breathing difficulties brought on by cold weather put their own strain on the heart – and may have difficulty with tasks that were once easy, from climbing stairs to carrying groceries.

Managing the Disease

Because of the body’s defense mechanisms, it may take a person a long time to notice the symptoms of congestive heart failure, and even longer to do anything about them. For many people, these symptoms are easy to pass off as minor inconveniences for quite some time. This can even continue after a patient has been hospitalized – increasing the risk of readmission, as the patient doesn’t notice the symptoms quickly enough or doesn’t know how to deal with them.

Finding the Right Approach

As widespread as heart disease is, no two people who suffer from this disease face the same challenges. Congestive heart failure treatment and management requires specialized care tailored to the individual – there is no one size to fit all.

The Basis of a Plan

Though congestive heart failure has no cure, a well-thought-out medication regimen and smart lifestyle changes can make it much easier to handle on a day-to-day basis. An effective treatment plan will focus on more than just managing crises. It must also have a heavy emphasis on prevention.

Putting a Treatment Plan into Action

The best path to improved outcomes with congestive heart failure is an individualized treatment plan. This type of treatment helps to manage symptoms, avoid serious complications and keep the patient out of the hospital.

Individualizing Care

At ViaQuest, we customize care for all of our patients, meaning every single one has a plan that meets their specific needs. Plans are devised based on conditions, symptoms, time of year and more. We offer access to all of the professionals on our care teams, from CNAs to our medical director, and our nursing staff is available 24/7. We also work with Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance providers to ensure our services are affordable, if not outright free of charge.

Understanding Day-to-Day Health

We’ll set up free at-home assessments, monitoring and support, so our patients and their loved ones are always kept apprised of the patient’s health. And in addition to the care we provide directly, we also offer treatment algorithms and educational materials so you know how to handle your health on your own time.

Through these measures, we can help prevent readmission in patients with congestive heart failure. ViaQuest Hospice helps keep patients out of the hospital by bringing all the hospital services directly to them.

Find Out More

To learn more about the care options available to you or to a loved one with congestive heart failure, get in touch with us at ViaQuest today.

Be Your Best Care Provider

Posted on March 9, 2021July 7, 2021 by ViaQuest

5 Ways to Battle Caregiver Burnout

No one who provides care for an ailing or aging loved one would likely describe the experience as easy, but for many, caregiving is an enormously taxing endeavor.

As of 2020, some 53 million Americans provide unpaid family care, per AARP. And of those, 36% consider it a highly stressful job. It’s no wonder, then, that so many people find themselves approaching, experiencing or – as some might put it – way past the point of caregiver burnout.

The ways in which caregiver burnout manifests itself are legion, but the voluminous list includes:

Exhaustion and fatigue
Physical and/or financial anxiety
Depression
Resentment
Withdrawal from personal relationships and social situations
Loss of interest in activities previously considered enjoyable
Neglect of other responsibilities
Irritability, impatience and a tendency toward overreaction
Guilt for engaging in non-caregiving activities
Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
Weight gain
Changes in appetite
Insomnia and other changes in sleep patterns
Difficulty relaxing
Lowered immune response; a tendency to get every cold and flu that’s going around
Excessive drinking, smoking or use of drugs (including prescription medications)
Suicidal or self-harm ideation
New or worsening health problems
Difficulty concentrating
Mood swings
Headache, stomachache and similar pain

So what can you do about it?

Attend to Your Psychological Needs

Going from an understandably negative attitude to a positive one isn’t as simple as the flip of a switch, but there are plenty of small steps you can take to improve your outlook. One method is to look for anything you can celebrate: small victories, silver linings, minor milestones, the appreciation your loved one might express if they were well. Some people find it helpful to read up on the ailments their loved ones are suffering from so they feel they have a stronger grasp on the situation.

Be Comfortable with Your Own Emotions

Another key is the one we all know from the five stages of grief: acceptance. Understand your own personal limits, and set realistic goals. Develop coping tools and don’t let the act of caregiving be your entire existence. Above all, recognize the inevitability of negative feelings. It’s tempting to translate negative thoughts into guilt: “I’m a terrible person for feeling this way.” Don’t beat yourself up. Acknowledge that every caregiver experiences despair and frustration, and that you’re not alone in whatever you feel.

Attend to Your Physical Needs

Burnout pushes many caregivers to start neglecting their own needs, believing, often subconsciously, that those things should be secondary to their duties toward their loved one. The truth, though, is that a healthy caregiver is a more effective caregiver. Meeting your basic physical needs – exercising regularly, eating a healthful diet, getting enough sleep – is just as important for family caregivers as it is for anyone else.

There’s Nothing Wrong with Joy

Take the opportunity to prioritize your own enjoyment as well, rather than ratchet back on activities you once found fun. Get out of the house when you can, even if it’s just for a quick walk. Work periodic breaks into your daily agenda, and don’t skip them. Some sources recommend having a specific time of day – often the early morning – set aside for activities that you find relaxing, while others suggest setting personal health goals (and taking satisfaction in achieving them).

Don’t Let Your Own Health Suffer

Not to be forgotten on this point is not to forget your own medical care. Just as you’re looking after the health of another person, so, too, should someone be looking after your health. Keep up on your regular doctor visits, and let your doctor know that you’re acting as a caregiver for a loved one – your doctor can factor that into their assessments.

Maintain Personal Relationships

Social relationships are enormously important for caregivers, especially for those feeling the effects of burnout. You might feel as though discussing your struggles will place an undue burden on friends, family and other acquaintances, but keeping your emotions to yourself won’t do you any good. It may even be worthwhile to set up a recurring check-in with a trusted friend or family member so you can’t easily procrastinate this kind of interaction.

Learn to Say Yes

Beyond that, having personal relationships means you have people around you who can help, even if it’s only in limited ways. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – and if it’s offered, say yes! Caregivers sometimes find it difficult to relinquish control of some aspects of their work, but it’s worth working to overcome your internal resistances. If you have a personal support network, it may even be worthwhile to come up with a list of duties you can delegate, or divide up responsibilities where possible.

Making Health Updates Less Stressful

For some, keeping friends and family updated on the condition of an ailing loved one can be a millstone all by itself. If that rings true for you, consider looking into resources that make the job easier, such as CaringBridge or MyLifeLine.

Establish Relationships with Other Caregivers

Just as you might confab with co-workers about the difficulties posed by a particular project, you may find relief in talking to other caregivers about your shared experiences. Look up caregiver support groups or workshops, whether in your geographic area or online, and make connections with people who are going through the same things you’re going through. It may also be worth your while to look into the resources offered by your local agency on aging.

Look into Home Health & Support Services

If you’ve overcome your hesitancy to accept help, but are still finding your responsibilities as caregiver difficult to bear – even if only from time to time – there are opportunities out there to seek support from professionals.

Health Services Right at Home

Many professional health services can be delivered right at home, especially for hospice patients. Social workers, home health aides, nurses and other health professionals can take some of the burden off of you by bringing their skills directly to your loved one – including care they might receive in a hospital setting, without ever having to leave home.

Another hugely valuable option for caregivers is respite care: a chance to have trained professionals look after your loved one for a set period of time so you can unwind and take a break from the stress of their health care and well-being.

Work with ViaQuest to Be the Best Caregiver You Can Be

At ViaQuest, we have a vast array of services available to help caregivers avoid caregiver fatigue while ensuring their loved ones are well looked after. Reach out to us today to learn about our caregiver support services, and make the caregiving experience as positive as possible for both you and your loved one.

Air Time

Posted on April 21, 2021July 7, 2021 by ViaQuest

Breathing Techniques & Other Exercises for Those with COPD

Because no two cases of COPD are exactly the same, individuals who endure the disease face a variety of different symptoms and benefit from a variety of different treatments.

Medication can help. Therapy can help. General efforts to maintain physical health can help. And for a great many COPD patients, breathing techniques can help. Fatigue and shortness of breath are common among those who have the disease, and COPD breathing exercises strengthen the muscles – so if you have it, diligent exercises mean breathing in general requires less exertion.

Breathing Exercises

Medical experts consistently recommend four different types of breathing techniques to keep your airways in good shape.

Pursed Lip Breathing

One of the most commonly recommended techniques, pursed lip breathing is intended to release air trapped in the lungs and reduce shortness of breath by making it easier to breathe. It should be practiced four or five times a day, and is best used during the most difficult part of a daily activity such as climbing stairs. It works like this:

Relax your shoulder and neck muscles.
Take a breath in through your nose – your mouth should be closed – and count to two. Repeating the phrase “inhale, one, two” in your head may help.
Purse your lips, as though to whistle or blow on food that’s too hot.
Count to four while breathing slowly out through your mouth. As with step 2, it may be worthwhile to repeat a phrase: “exhale, one, two, three, four.”

If you’re unable to inhale or exhale as long as suggested, a good general rule is to breathe out for twice as long as you breathe in.

Coordinated Breathing

Suggested for physical exercise, coordinated breathing may also be helpful for brief relief of stress or anxiety:

Before beginning an exercise, breathe in through your nose.
Exhale through pursed lips during the most strenuous part of the exercise.
Repeat as needed.

Deep Breathing

This technique is best practiced in conjunction with other daily breathing exercises. It’s designed to reduce shortness of breath by keeping air from getting trapped in the lungs:

Expand your chest by sitting or standing with your elbows slightly back.
Breathe in deeply through your nose and count to five.
Slowly exhale through your nose until you feel you’ve breathed out all the air you just breathed in. Some recommend a forceful cough at the end.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, is meant to relieve pressure on some of the muscles used more for breathing by those with COPD. Individuals with the disease often feel pressure on their lungs due to trapped air, and tend to use their back, neck and shoulder muscles for breathing. The goal is to retrain the body to rely on the diaphragm. The exercise can be repeated as necessary, though it’s more of an advanced technique than the above, so it shouldn’t be the first one you try:

Lie or sit down with your knees bent – you can put a pillow under them, if that helps – and relax your shoulders.
Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. If you prefer, you can also place a light object such as a tissue box on your stomach instead.
Inhale through your nose for two or three seconds. If you feel your stomach moving more than your chest, you’re doing it right.
Exhale slowly through pursed lips, for five or six seconds, while you tighten your stomach muscles or push down lightly on your stomach.

Mucus-Clearing Techniques

Buildup of mucus is one of the most consistent symptoms experienced by those with COPD. Not only does excess mucus often lead to chronic coughing and shortness of breath, it can even increase your risk of infection. That’s why medical professionals have developed techniques to comfortably clear the lungs.

Controlled Coughing

Controlled coughing is coughing from deep within the lungs, and the technique is designed to save oxygen, loosen mucus and then carry it comfortably through the airways – as opposed to frequent, uncontrolled coughing, which may cause airways to collapse and make breathing very difficult. The technique entails:

Lean slightly forward in a chair with both feet on the floor and arms folded across your stomach.
Inhale slowly through the nose.
Lean forward and breathe out while pressing your arms into your abdomen.
Deliver two or three short, sharp coughs with your mouth slightly open.
Spit out the mucus and slowly inhale through the nose again.

Huff Coughing

The point of this technique is to effectively cough up the mucus that accumulates in your lungs, so the process doesn’t result in fatigue:

While seated, inhale through your mouth slightly more than you would for a normal breath.
Blow the air out in three breaths using your stomach muscles. It may help to make the sounds “ha, ha, ha,” as though you’re trying to fog a mirror.

Postural Drainage

As opposed to coughing techniques, postural drainage is designed to drain the lungs of mucus through proper positioning. Different positions can drain mucus from the front, back or sides of the lungs. The technique is best practiced on an empty stomach, holding each position for five minutes.

Lie in the proper position for the part of the lungs you want to drain – your back for front draining, your front for back drainage and your side for side drainage – with one pillow under your head and two or three under your hips. Place your arms by your head if lying on your stomach.
Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach.
Breathe in while pushing your stomach outward.

What Else Can You Do for Your Breathing Ability?

Of course, there’s more you can do on a daily basis to improve your lung function. Whether it’s regular physical exercise, good nutrition, or efforts to improve balance and focus, there are plenty of ways you or others with COPD can work to breathe easier. Some of the options include:

Aerobic exercise, such as walking or riding a stationary bike, to strengthen the heart and lungs
Strengthening exercises, the practice of tightening the upper-body muscles until they tire to strengthen breathing muscles
Stretching exercises, which lengthen muscles and improve flexibility
Eating a healthy diet to maintain energy and keep your immune system strong
Practicing yoga or tai chi, which can improve balance and exercise ability

Exercise Caveats

It’s always wise to consult a doctor before embarking on a new exercise regimen with COPD. You would do well to avoid activities that might put excessive strain on you, including heavy lifting, isometric exercises, climbing steep hills and exercising outdoors in very hot or cold weather. And be sure to stop if you experience dizziness, irregular heartbeat, nausea, pain, rapid heartbeat, severe shortness of breath or weakness.

Get Help from a Pro

If you suffer from COPD and are worried about ending up in the hospital, we at ViaQuest may be able to help. ViaQuest Hospice offers all the health care COPD patients might expect from the hospital right in the comfort of your own home. And because we accept Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances, it’s highly likely to be entirely cost-covered.