T.J. Samson | Destination Health | October 2020

Wellness Wellness October 2020 3 2 DESTINATION HEALTH Bereavement Suppor t Group From getting help to giving help If your family hasn’t used T.J. Regional Health’s hospice services, you may not be aware of the Bereavement Support Group that is offered through hospice. The group is free, and it can help any adult who is grieving a loss. “This is not just a hospice service, but a community ser- vice,” says Loretta Boone, MSW, who runs the support group. “This is an open group. You don’t have to have used hospice services to attend.” The group provides people an opportunity to help each other through the grieving process. It meets at the T.J. Health Pavilion’s Community Center every third Monday of the month at 2 p.m. A SAFE SPACE TO MOURN LOSS Boone is the support group’s facilitator. She doesn’t offer counseling, but often opens a meeting by talking about a specific topic. Group members can use that discussion as a springboard to talk about their feelings. “It gives people a safe space to process their loss and to find camaraderie with others who have gone through the same experience,” Boone explains. “It gives them an opportunity to feel, to discuss, to have emotions and to share coping mecha- nisms with one another. It’s almost like the group members are counseling each other.” People often come to the group seeking help from others; they then continue coming to give help to others. Boone re- members one woman, about 78 years old, who lost her hus- band of 50-plus years to a sudden illness. “Her children lived far away,” Boone says. “Her only sup- port system was her church, and she didn’t drive a lot.This group gave her the opportunity to connect with others and to share how she was working her way through life.” “She’s now become a big asset to the group. It gives her a sense of purpose.” REASSURANCE AND SUPPORT For another woman, the support group provided reassurance that she’d done all she could for her dying mother. “She was really struggling with the death of her mother, wondering ‘Did we overmedicate? Did we do too much?’” Boone remembers. “She was carrying a lot of guilt, really second-guessing herself. And the other group members who had been through hospice were able to help her out.They were able to convince her she had done everything she could, and her mother must have appreciated that.” If you’re not sure you’re comfortable sharing your feelings, you can just come to the group and listen silently. “No one is going to make you talk,” Boone says. American Heart Association awards T.J. Samson’s commitment to quality stroke care recognized T.J. Samson Community Hospital has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Associa- tion’s Get With The Guidelines ® –Stroke Bronze Quality Achievement Award.The award recognizes the hospi- tal’s commitment to ensuring that stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. T.J. Samson Community Hospital earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period.These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions. “T.J. Samson is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Stroke initiative,” says Neil Thornbury, CEO of T.J. Regional Health. “The tools and resources provided help us track and measure our suc- cess in meeting evidence-based clinical guidelines developed to improve pa- tient outcomes.” T.J. Samson Community Hospital received the designation of Acute Stroke Ready Hospital in September 2019, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency depart- ment. After receiving this designation, many hospitals take more than a year to achieve the Bronze award.The hospital will be eligible for the next tier, the Silver Achievement Award, if performance is sustained for the next 12 months, and for the Gold award for 24 months of sustained performance. “We are pleased to recognize T.J. Samson Community Hospital for their commitment to stroke care,” says Lee H. Schwamm, MD, national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurol- ogy, Director of Acute Stroke Services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines ® quality improvement initia- tive can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.” According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Associa- tion, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 sec- onds and nearly 795,000 people have a new or recurrent stroke each year. Mammograms: 5 key facts to know 1 Mammograms are the best breast cancer screening tool we have to find cancer early. Doctors use mammograms to check for lumps or other breast changes that are too small to be felt. Although mammograms aren’t perfect (they sometimes miss cancers or detect things that look like cancer but are not) these x-rays can find breast cancer early.That’s when treatment is often more successful and potentially lifesaving. 2 Most women should start screening at age 45. The American Cancer Society recommends annual breast cancer screening for women ages 45 to 54. However, women have the option of starting screening at age 40. At age 55, women may switch to getting a mammogram every other year, if they want. 3 You can prepare for a smoother, better mammogram. If you still have menstrual periods, try not to schedule your mammogram during the week before your period. Your breasts may be less tender and swollen outside of that time frame. Also, avoid using deodorant, lotion, perfume or powder under your arms or on your breasts on the day of the mammogram.These things can interfere with the x-rays, which could cause your mammogram result to be inaccurate. If you have breast implants, let the mammogram facility know this when you make the appointment. 4 Getting a mammogram takes about 20 minutes. During the test, each breast is briefly placed between two plates, one at a time.The plates compress each breast, which spreads the tissue out for a clearer x-ray picture. 5 An abnormal mammogram doesn’t automatically mean you have cancer. Try to keep that in mind if you get called back for additional testing after your mammogram. Suspicious findings could be just a cyst or dense breast tissue. Follow-up mammograms or other tests may be needed to find out. Women who book a mammogram appoint- ment during the month of October will receive a surprise! Call 270-659-5591 for more informa- tion, or schedule your mammogram by calling 270-651-1814 . T.J. Regional Heal th Hepatitis C Clinic opens Is it time to schedule your mammogram? Give us a call at 270-651-1814 for an appointment. T.J. Regional Health has established a Hepatitis C Clinic to help treat those who have the infectious disease. Hepatitis C is a viral infection spread through contact with an infected person’s blood that leads to inflammation of the liver. Symptoms of hepatitis C can include:    ● Fatigue.    ● Fever.    ● Abdominal pain.    ● Bloating.    ● Fluid in the abdomen.    ● Dark urine.    ● Loss of appetite.    ● Nausea.    ● Bleeding. Recent studies show that nearly 2.4 mil- lion Americans—1% of the adult popula- tion—are living with hepatitis C, according to CDC estimates. Half of people with hepatitis C may not know they’re infected. Hepatitis C is preventable and curable; how- ever, it kills more Americans than any other infectious disease. Federal analysis shows that of the 220 counties across the U.S. that are most vulnerable to an outbreak of hepa- titis C, 54 of those are in Kentucky. At T.J. Health’s Hepatitis C Clinic, our providers will determine the type of hepati- tis C present and whether any liver damage has occurred, then establish the best course of treatment while working in conjunction with the patient’s primary care provider. GET SOCIAL WITH US Find us on social media by searching T.J. Regional Health. We c ’ t w it to co ect with you! The T.J. Regional Health social media channels are updated frequently to feature new providers, members of the T.J. team, patient stories, and important information for the community. Like and follow us to stay up-to-date on all the latest happenings! Also, don’t forget to check out our website at tjregionalhealth.org! GET SOCIAL WITH US Find us on social media by searching T.J. Regional Health. We c ’ t w it to co ect with you! The T.J. Regional Health social media channels are updated frequently to feature new providers, members of the T.J. team, patient stories, and important information for the community. Like and follow us to stay up-to-date on all the latest happenings! Also, don’t forget to check out ou r website at tjregionalhealth.org ! I I Find us on social media by searching T.J. Region l Health. e c ’ t w it to co ect with you! The T.J. Regional Health social media channels are updated frequently to feature new providers, members of the T.J. team, patient stories, and important information for the community. Like and follow us to stay up-to-date on all the latest happenings! Also, don’t forget to check out our website at tjregionalhealth.org ! GET SOCIAL WITH US Find us on social media by searching T.J. Regional Health. We c ’ t w it to o ect with you! Th T.J. Regional H alth social media channels are updated f equently to feature new providers, members of the T.J. team, patient stor es, and important information for the community. Like and follow us to stay up-to-date on all the latest happenings! Also, don’t f rget to check out our website at tjregional health.org! GET SOCIAL WITH US Find us on social media by searching T.J. Regional Health. We c ’t w it to co ect with you! The T.J. Regional Health social media channels are updated frequently to featur n w prov ders, members of the T.J. team, patient stories, and important information for the community. Like and follow us to stay up-to-date on all the latest h ppeni gs! Also, don’t forget to check out our website at tjregionalhealth.org! 5 MUST-KNOW FACTS 1. It’s a potentially deadly virus that is spread through blood, and it’s highly infectious—10 times more so than HIV. 2. At least half of all people living with hepatitis C don’t know they have the virus. 3. The only way to know if you’re infected is to have a blood test. A B O U T H E P A T I T I S C 4. Everyone 18 and older should be tested at least once. In addition: • All pregnant women should be tested during each pregnancy. • Children born to an infected mother should be tested. • Regular testing is recommended for people receiving maintenance hemodialysis and for people who inject and share needles or other drug preparation equipment. 5. There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C, but new treatments may cure the virus. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention To find out about the next meeting, call Loretta Boone at 270-651-4430 . Ask for Bereavement Support. For more support group information, please visit tjregionalhealth.org . For more information or to schedule an appointment with T.J. Health’s Hepatitis C Clinic, please call 270-659-3398 .