Forget braces! Consumers these days want clear aligners to help straighten their teeth and improve their smiles.
Aligners — invisible, custom, removeable trays made of a special thermoplastic — apply gentle but consistent pressure without wires or brackets to move teeth to straighten them.
“I really see it as a revolution in orthodontics, this notion of using clear aligners to straighten the teeth and obtain that aesthetic, healthy, functional smile,” said orthodontist Dr. Daniel Berant, D.M.D., of Smile Design Manhattan.
Since they’re transparent, aligners aren’t noticeable, which gives confidence to aligner wearers of all ages. But it’s not just teens who get orthodontic treatment: According to the
American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), one-third of orthodontic patients are adults.
“We have lots of lawyers and people on the news and people that are in front of the camera that are able to do their job with their aligners and without anybody ever knowing that,” said Lee Gause, D.D.S., founder of Smile Design Manhattan. “We have a model that booked a huge campaign with their clear aligners and it really doesn’t disrupt the treatment at all, or disrupt the life.”
Most people who want to straighten their teeth are candidates for aligners. They can be used to help correct both simple and complex misalignments, including gapped or overcrowded teeth; overbite, underbite, open bite, and more.
Even patients with more complex cases, such as missing teeth, that need implants can
be addressed with aligners. The dentist can plan the implant placement for these patients by digitally placing those missing teeth into the aligner.
An advanced workflow allows the creation of a digital plan that’s used to make a patient’s custom aligners. Pre-planning yields efficient results.
“We map it all out before we start treating the patient and because we do that, we’re able to achieve our treatment goals,” Dr. Gause said, calling aligners the standard of care for adults with mild or medium malalignment.
While each patient’s treatment plan is different, patients typically start to see improvements in a few months and full results within about a year. In comparison, braces’ results can take 18 months to three years.
Compliance is key Patients must change out their aligner trays every 1-2 weeks.
Unlike braces, aligners can be removed. Since the patient must wear the aligners 22 hours a day, they typically only remove them to eat, brush, and floss.
“Patients can keep their teeth really clean while they’re going through treatment because they don’t have a wire that becomes very difficult to clean food out of,” Dr. Gause said.
Patient compliance is the top reason why clear aligner therapy can fail.
Still, if a patient gets off track, the dentist can help. Dr. Berant said it’s all about teamwork, where the dentist is the coach and the patient is the player.
“We can tell them what to do in order to succeed, but it’s really the patient who needs
to be that MVP player wearing the trays, taking ownership for their health,” he said.
Patients visit the dentist every eight weeks, or more as needed. Plus, they can digitally monitor their progress using an app if the clinician offers this service.
Following treatment, patients often continue wearing their aligners or a retainer to prevent future tooth movement.
While aligners are often sold online, Dr. Gause says it’s best to go to a dental professional who can ensure the aligners are correct and oversee the process. Consumers can expect a custom fit from aligners prescribed by a dentist.
He says consumers ask for aligners: “They want a perfect smile without pain.”
Kristen Castillo Publisher David Wagner Business Developer Katie Konfino, Joanna Tronina Managing Director Jordan Hernandez Lead Designer Kayla Mendez Designer Keziah Makoundou Lead Editor Dustin Brennan Copy Editor Griffin Cronk Director of Content and Production Joelle Hernandez All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.Summerall has been wearing ClearCorrect aligners for 22 hours a day for the past six months. It’s his preferred way to get a better smile.
“I wear them all day but I practically forget they’re in most of the time,” said the 17-year-old actor, content creator, and musician who has more than 5 million fans on social media. “I can sing, I talk, I do everything, and I literally forget they’re in.”
Before getting his aligners, the Dallas teen was self-conscious about his smile. He had a few teeth that were crowded and a few others that were crooked. He decided to try ClearCorrect after he saw a friend’s great smile; a result of the aligners.
While everyone’s treatment plan is different, Summerall’s includes 7 steps (14 trays) of clear aligners. He gets a new set every two weeks.
“As soon as I finish my trays, my teeth will be more perfect,” he said. “I’m not even halfway done and my teeth already look 80% better.”
He maintains the aligners by brushing them with a special toothpaste. He stores them in a case when he’s not wearing them, which is typically only when he’s eating or drinking.
The demand for clear aligners is growing. According to new market research by Meticulous Research®, the clear aligners market is projected to reach $20.63 billion by 2029, which is a compound annual growth rate of over 20% during the forecast period.
One brand of aligners, ClearCorrect, was founded by a dentist for dentists. Since 2017,
innovations: their trimline and their proprietary ClearQuartz™ tri-layer aligner material — both of which make them more comfortable than traditional braces and many other aligners on the market.
Here’s the process: A dentist prescribes the aligners, starting by evaluating a patient’s smile by taking dental records, usually done with a 3D scanner. The dentist then works with ClearCorrect to develop a digital treatment plan for the patient. After the aligners are made, the dentist will fit them in the patient’s mouth and monitor the patient’s progress.
Choosing ClearCorrect Finzi says consumers who need an aligner should choose ClearCorrect because their aligners cause less pain and discomfort than other brands, they treat most alignment problems. Plus, their aligners are designed to have more predictable movement and patients don’t have food restrictions, like they would with braces.
“Our aligners are more stain resistant, meaning it’s really going to be transparent in your mouth,” she said.
it has been a member of the Straumann Group of brands, whose mission is to unlock the potential of people’s lives.
“It’s for people who are not satisfied with their smile and want to improve it by better aligning their teeth,” said Camila Finzi, head of the orthodontics business unit for Straumann Group, a global
leader in esthetic dentistry. “You can be a teen, an adult, working professional, a retired senior — it’s for you if want to have a straighter, healthier smile.”
The discreet aligners help with both smile aesthetics and correcting dental imperfections including crowding, cross bite, spacing, deep bite,
open bite, and more. The removable, clear aligners use consistent, accurate pressure to position teeth to create beautiful smiles. Worn for 22 hours a day, they can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing.
The aligners, which were designed over the course of years of research, have two
For patients like Summerall, having ClearCorrect has been a highly positive experience. He’s heading to Nashville to write and record new music and says, “I’m glad that I will be going there with a much better looking smile. n
To learn more about ClearCorrect, visit straumann.com/clearcorrect/ us/en/patients.html
Kristen Castillo
Gone are the days when braces were the only way to align your teeth. Now clear aligners are a popular, effıcient way to improve your smile.
Oral health is a window into your overall health. Orthodontic treatment helps ensure proper function of teeth and creates healthy smiles.
Acorrect bite makes it easier for you to eat, bite, chew, and speak.
Teeth that are misaligned are harder to clean and can cause abnormal wearing of tooth enamel, which can lead to extensive and expensive dental procedures.
Orthodontic treatment is not a quick fix. It is a complex biological process. It involves changes in jaw bones, facial bones, and soft tissue as teeth are moved into their new positions.
Your care often starts with a thorough examination of the teeth and mouth, and study of dental records like x-rays, pho tos, and models of the teeth. From this, your orthodontist can develop a custom treat ment plan.
Working together with your orthodontist, orthodontic
treatment can yield life-en hancing results: better func tion and appearance.
What is an orthodontist?
Orthodontists are graduates of both dental and orthodontic school. Similar to becoming a medical specialist, such as a surgeon or an internist, ortho dontists complete an orthodon tic residency program for two to three years after dental school.
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) is an organization that only ortho dontists can be admitted to for membership.
It is in the orthodontic resi dency program that orthodon tists receive intensive instruc tion to learn proper, safe tooth movement (orthodontics) and the guidance of dental, jaw, and facial development (dentofacial orthopedics). These extra years of schooling make the ortho dontist the dental specialist
in moving teeth and aligning jaws. This is the only focus of their practice.
Orthodontists treat patients of all ages and they regularly treat children, adolescents, and adults. They use in-per son exams, as well as 2D or 3D x-rays, photos, and molds of the teeth to create a personalized treatment plan for each patient.
Orthodontists use the full range of “appliances” to cor rect orthodontic problems. The “appliance” is the term used for the device that moves teeth. It can be traditional braces, clear aligners, or braces on the inside of the teeth.
The orthodontist is uniquely qualified to recommend the most appropriate type of “appli ance” to correct an individual’s problem.
And now you know the facts about orthodontists!
When you choose an AAO orthodontist for orthodontic
treatment, you can be assured that you have selected a spe cialist orthodontist, an expert in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics who possesses the skills and experience to give you your best smile.
If you recognize any of these signs or concerns in your child or yourself, it might be time to schedule a consultation with an orthodontist:
• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• Difficulty chewing or biting
• Mouth breathing
• Sucking the thumb or fingers, or other oral habits
• Crowded, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth
• Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or are recessed
• Speech difficulty
• Biting the cheek or biting
into the roof of the mouth
• Protruding teeth
• Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all
• Facial imbalance or asymmetry (features out of proportion to the rest of the face)
• Grinding or clenching of teeth
• Inability to comfortably close lips
Our advice: keep your sched uled appointments, advise your orthodontist of problems that may pop up between appoint ments, watch what you eat and drink, avoid sugary drinks, and brush and floss as instructed by your orthodontist. It’s worth the effort to reach the goal you and your orthodontist share — giving you a healthy smile that will last a lifetime. n
© American Association of Orthodontists
Aging Life Care Managers® engage with clients and their families to help make difficult decisions, supply possible options, and assist with end-of-life care transitions.
Aging Life Care™ is a holistic, client-cen tered approach to caring for older adults or others facing ongoing health challenges.
Members of the Aging Life Care Asso ciation, called Aging Life Care Managers® (ALCMs), partner with clients, families, and other providers to help make the best deci sions and find personalized solutions.
“We are often described by our clients and families as ‘the best kept secret’,” said Debra Feldman, MSW, LCSW, CMC, pres ident of the Aging Life Care Association®. “We help navigate the medical, financial, legal, and social challenges that are part of the aging journey.”
ALCMs are engaged with clients for the long haul, uniquely positioning them to engage in the difficult discussions about healthcare and end-of-life expectations.
“We ensure that the needs of vulnerable seniors are met, and optimal quality of life is obtained,” Feldman said. “From determining best housing to managing chronic health care issues, we are here to reduce worry and stress, allowing families to focus on their remaining time together.”
While the conversations may be chal lenging, talking about end-of-life care wishes early can relieve stress on loved ones, said Lisa Kaufman, M.S., CMC, CTRS —an Aging Life Care Manager™ and Endof-Life Doula (EOLD). “Having worked with a client and their family for years, I under stand the family dynamics and can support continuity of care during the last chapter of life.”
As both an ALCM and EOLD, Kaufman said her role is to support a “good death” for clients.
Feldman added that ALCMs can be found across the country, ready to assist at any stage in the aging process. To locate a professional near you, visit aginglifecare.org to search a directory of the Aging Life Care Association’s membership.
Julie Wagner, CEO, Aging Life Care Association®
Those services include men tal health counseling, nutrition support and workshops, support groups, integrative approaches, fitness classes, and well-being services like headwear and wig consultations, comfort items, and pet therapy. Licensed clinical social workers, licensed massage therapists, therapists, and other certified professionals provide these services free of charge, thanks to donations from foun dations, corporations, and indi viduals who give to the center.
The Dempsey Center is host ing its annual fundraising event, the Dempsey Challenge, with Amgen Oncology. They center aimed to raise $1.6 million at a walk, cycle, and run event last weekend in Lewiston, Maine.
After “Grey’s Anatomy” actor Patrick Dempsey’s mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997, he knew she was getting good medical care — but she needed more support.
That inspired Dempsey and his siblings to create the Dempsey Center, a place that could pro vide relief, comfort, community, and resources to anyone affected by cancer.
”Whether you are a cancer patient, survivor, care partner, or loved one, the Dempsey Center provides wrap-around, personal ized support—all at no cost,” said Dempsey, 56, who co-founded the organization as part of the Central Maine Medical Center in 2009.
“The importance of giving back and helping others, which my mother instilled in me, is one of the main reasons the Dempsey Center exists,” Dempsey said.
In 2021, the Dempsey Center served people with more than 25 different types of cancer diag noses, with nearly 12,000 visits by about 1,550 people ages 5-80.
“A cancer diagnosis causes a ripple effect, and affects not only the life of the patient, but also their care partner, family members, and friends,” said Cara Valentino, the Dempsey Center CEO and president. “That’s why we include all those individuals in our services.”
Dempsey’s mother, Amanda M. Dempsey, died in 2014 at age 79 after multiple recurrences of can cer. Her daughter, Mary, was her primary caregiver.
Patrick Dempsey remembers his mother for her love of creative hobbies like home renovation and quilting, as well as gardening, hunting, walking, and volunteer ing. She was also a resilient and courageous person, especially during her journey with cancer.
“She would say, ’What can we do about it?’” Dempsey recalled, “and try to focus on actions we could take to find a solution.
“To her, actions were import ant,” he added, ”more so than words, which I think she passed on to me and is a trait of hers I’m very honored to carry forward. ” n Melinda Carter
PHOTO: CINDY GIOVAGNOLI CUPPA PHOTOGRAPHYguesswork is to include cogni tive testing as part of a regular physical, which the Alzhei mer’s Association advocates for.
“We should ask for cognitive testing for ourselves and for our loved ones,” Ricci-Franci one said.
new drug treatments.
The Alzheimer’s Association is a non-profit orga nization with chapters all over the country. It provides resources through local chapters to patients and their loved ones, as well as advocat ing for funding and supporting research into new treatments and therapies.
“We’re connectors to all kinds of resources for people because we really want to build a safety net around these peo ple to help them best navigate this journey,” said Cheryl Ric ci-Francione, executive director
of the Alzherimer’s Association’s Greater New Jersey chapter.
Detecting early signs of Alz heimer’s in a loved one can be difficult.
“There’s a lot of confusion around normal forgetfulness and what is potentially demen tia,” Ricci-Francione said. “Things that we can look for as average Americans are unusual forgetfulness — it’s not that I can’t remember where I parked my car at the grocery store, it’s that mom hasn’t come home from the grocery store and
couldn’t find her way home from the grocery store.”
Navigating the symptoms of Alzheimer’s can also be emotional for loved ones. It’s normal to experience feelings of guilt or frustration when a loved one can’t remember, Ric ci-Francione said. “What we suggest is that people try to pro cess that and understand that their loved one can’t help these behaviors. They need to accept them where they are at this moment in order to help them.”
One way to eliminate the
Once a patient has received their diagnosis, it’s best for them and their loved ones to make a solid care plan.
“That plan should include clinicians whom they can speak comfortably with and trust, financial and legal planning, and support services for the family,” Ricci-Francione said.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the third largest funder of Alz heimer’s research in the world, and the largest nonprofit funder of research. It currently has hundreds of research projects, ranging from how lifestyle fac tors may affect symptoms to
“We’re going to have to monitor the outcomes of those drugs and the people who are receiving them because they’re very new and there are a lot of diverse opinions about whether targeting beta-amyloid plaque in the brain is the answer,” Ric ci-Francione said. “But we know that there have been decades of study on this and we view it as a breakthrough.”
There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, but getting educated about the disease early and making a solid care plan can make a huge difference in the life of an Alzheimer’s patient and their family.
“Knowledge is power,” Ric ci-Francione said, “and the more education someone has, the better they’re going to be able to navigate this with their loved ones.” n
Ross Elliott
More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. The best tool for living with the disease is for patients and loved ones to get the facts.
The end of life is a challenging time both for the person who is dying and for the family, friends, and loved ones who care about them.
End-of-life care expert and educator Bar bara Karnes says there’s value in the time before death.
Karnes educates families on what to expect as their loved one is dying.
Karnes says it’s important for the loved ones to initiate communication as the dying person is withdrawing.
Her advice is to talk to the dying person about “Everything you’ve ever wanted to say to them,” Karnes said, including the good and the challenging times.
“Grief is a whole bunch of emotions, all wrapped up into a package,” Karnes said.
“Grieving is such a normal part of life,” she said. “We tend to think that there’s something wrong with grieving. Grieving is, ‘I am so sad that my loved one isn’t with me anymore.’
“And we have to learn how to go on living without this special person in our life. Grief is not pathological. Grief is not abnormal. Grief is a normal part of life and life experiences,” Karnes said.
When the death first happens, the loved ones think about that person and the death all the time. Karnes says the inten sity of the relationship will also affect how much and how intense the grief is, espe cially at first.
“Grief is like a wound,” she said. “At first, it’s a big open gaping wound, that I feel all the time. And gradually that wound begins to heal. When it’s healed, a scar forms where that wound was.”
When something triggers you about the person, it’s like touching the scar. But over time, the scar is less painful.
most important for boosting energy and enjoying life to the fullest.
6Get as much physical activity as is appropriate for you, as exercise can help maintain or boost mental health.
Try meditation or guided imag ery. Specialized meditation is available for those who are dying to help with being more emotion ally and spiritually prepared and fostering appreciation for the life lived.
7Write letters to your loved ones.
While late life can come with its share of losses and challenges, you can take action to increase or maintain the quality of life you desire.
A guiding principle: End-of-life decisions should not be made at the end of life. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) sug gests these nine things you can do for yourself or a loved one late in life:
1Make decisions now about your healthcare plans for the future. Advance care planning can help you express how you want to be treated when you are unable to speak for yourself. Such plan ning will also help loved ones and medical staff to act on your behalf and treat you according to your values and wishes. Your preferences can be put in writing through advance care directives and include a living will, a power of attorney, a medical power of attorney, and a regular will, among other things.
2Have multiple conversations about care at the end of life
with your loved ones and the person you have chosen as power of attorney.
These important talks take the guessing out of decisions loved ones would have to make at a par ticularly emotional or stressful time. You can find more informa tion about these at The Conversa tion Project.
3Reflect on the enjoyable and rewarding parts of life And think about expressing grat itude or sharing sentiments that have never been said.
4Create a bucket list of things to do before the end.
These items, which should be appropriate for a person’s health conditions, could include visit ing friends and family, traveling to favorite places or new places a person has always wanted to go to, or simply enjoying the home environment.
Letters are a personal, intimate way to connect with those who are most important in your life. People you are leaving behind will have something special to remember you by.
8Find the resources that allow you to live a normal life.
For example, don’t reject using canes and walkers. Some people have a lot of pride and don’t want to use them, but they support greater mobility. Computers can be adapted for low vision or those who are hard of hearing.
9Accept hospice care if it is recommended by your physician.
Understand how to maximize your health during those last days. Meet with a nutritionist and understand what foods are the
Hospice is a Medicare benefit that helps people who have six months or less to live have a com fortable end. For many people, pain management is the most important part of dying with dig nity. Hospice is available at home, in assisted living, and in nursing homes. Dying at home with hos pice surrounded by family is pre ferred by most people. n
Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director, Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging Kristen CastilloTelehealth is convenient; it lets patients see their doctor from the comfort of their home and on their schedule. According to the Harvard Business Review, virtual care represented less than 1% of overall healthcare volume before the COVID-19 pandemic, but of May 2021, 88% of consumers reported having used telehealth services in the previous year.
Intuitive virtual care
“BlueJeans by Verizon, and Verizon as a whole, can offer not only the telehealth platform, but the connectivity and the devices,” said Danielle Preizler, Senior Product Manager for BlueJeans Telehealth. “There aren’t many organizations that can say they can offer all three in order to provide and be a true digital partner to these healthcare organizations.”
BlueJeans Telehealth, a HIPAA-ready and intuitive virtual care platform, helps providers easily and securely connect remotely with patients with high-quality video and audio.
The platform, developed with patients of all ages and tech abilities in mind, provides a wellrounded user experience that emulates an in-person visit.
Here’s how it works:
Patients can start by simply clicking a link and accessing their appointment directly from their computer or mobile device’s browser — there’s no setup or app download necessary.
The check-in experience starts with a personalized message from the provider, helping patients know they’re in the right place. Patients can add any health concerns or symptoms they want to discuss with
the doctor, and they’ll have the opportunity to upload or live-capture an image, such as a skin lesion. And while they’re waiting, patients can view educational or entertainment options on their screen, which keeps them from exiting the appointment before the doctor arrives.
Patients using an iOS device will be able to link their Apple Health data. This is a solution to one of the challenges of virtual visits; the inability to check a patient’s vitals, such as their heart rate. By linking with the Apple Health app, Blue Jeans allows patients to share certain categories of their last 30 days of app data, such as heart rate, step count, sleep data, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels.
ing health organizations integrate this patient-centric experience directly into the providers’ existing tools and workflow.
The platform’s screen share and annotation mode allows providers to share and review medical records, such as x-rays, with the patient. Other functions include chat; closed captioning, which helps patients who have difficulty hearing; and a collaboration board, which works well for clinical consultations, as well as patients in group settings like behavioral health. Additionally, BlueJeans Telehealth offers interpreter integrations to enable patients and providers that speak different languages with the ability to communicate with one another.
The platform also integrates with leading electronic health
record (EHR) and health app providers for a streamlined experience. The HIPAA-ready platform allows providers to download or write back certain data, such as health concerns or images from the televisit, back to the EHR.
BlueJeans Telehealth is a digital partner poised to help providers enhance their virtual care to connect patients with the trusted physician they’ve been seeing for years.
The ability to offer virtual care is essential for modern healthcare. If a provider isn’t currently offering virtual care that patients want, those patients may choose on-demand services to have virtual visits with a doctor they don’t know, or switch to a provider that has a virtual care strat-
egy. Lesser retention is not only bad for providers; it can mean worse outcomes for patients, too.
BlueJeans Telehealth received the Best of Enterprise Connect 2021 award. The purpose-built, virtual care solution can drive better patient interactions, helping produce better patient outcomes.
“If we can provide a purpose-built solution that helps promote those positive clinical outcomes, that’s really the goal,” Preizler said. n
To learn more about BlueJeans by Verizon, visit bluejeans.com/ products/telehealth
Kristen Castillo
Telehealth is here to stay and an intuitive platform is making it secure and easy-to-use.
People can have very different experiences of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The journey is different for everyone, but it is wise to be aware and prepared.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is progressive and can have a spectrum of symptoms with a range of severities that can make it hard to know what lies ahead.
To plan for the unknown, the first thing to do is educate yourself about the disease and the possible challenges it could bring.
Some symptoms of advanced PD:
• Balance and gait issues can be significant. Some people become unable to walk and must use a wheelchair.
• Mental health concerns in advanced PD encompass cognitive decline/ dementia, depression, apathy, anxiety, psychosis, and behavior problems.
• Autonomic dysfunction such as widely-fluctuating blood pressure and incontinence can be disabling. Severe swallowing difficulties and choking can occur.
Addressing the symptoms of advanced PD:
• Bring any mental health issues to the attention of your healthcare team right away.
• If these problems arise, your doctor will consider whether it is being caused by a medication side effect.
• If not, non-drug approaches like modification of the environment and redirection of the patient’s attention may be the first steps to consider.
Many people never reach this stage of PD and instead live for many years at less advanced stages. The person’s end of life may occur at an old age from another medical illness entirely.
Rebecca Gilbert, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, American Parkinson Disease AssociationTaking care of yourself while caring for a loved one is critical. While it may seem like you are not a key priority, especially when the person you are providing for is sick, you absolutely are. Your overall well-being influences the quality of care you can provide.
Your overall well-be ing influences the quality of care you can provide.
If you neglect self-care, it’s easy to become exhausted, ill, or lonely. It’s important to remem ber that you don’t have to “do it all.” It’s likely that others can and want to help take some weight off your shoulders.
Caregiving can be an all-en compassing physical, emotional, and spiritual experience, so lean ing on others and finding oppor tunities for self-care is important. Below are some ways to lighten the burden:
Stay connected and ask for help Write out your weekly to-do list and identify which friends or family members would be best suited to the tasks on your list.
If you belong to a faith commu nity, ask what help is available; many faith-based communities have individuals or teams that are dedicated to practical support, including helping caregivers.
A number of hospice providers offer telephone or online support groups for caregivers. There are also caregiver groups on social media platforms, such as Face book, and some disease-specific advocacy groups provide support groups for caregivers.
Some websites, such as caringbridge.org, offer valuable ways to connect with family and friends, who can check in to see if help is needed or cre ate a meal delivery network (mealtrain.com).
If your loved one is in hospice care, ask about any services the hospice provides to support fam ily caregivers, such as in-home aides, trained volunteers, and proven community resources.
Take part in activities that will bring joy to you and the person you are caring for, such as looking at family photographs, recalling special times spent together, lis tening to favorite music, watch ing old movies, or sharing stories that you may not have shared before.
Don’t neglect your own med ical care. You may be able to do some routine appointments by using telehealth services, but don’t skip important in-person preventative screenings.
Identify someone you feel comfortable confiding in and reaching out to when you need to talk. This person could be a close friend, family member, or an out side counselor.
Coping with feelings of being unprepared Caregivers are often tasked with
becoming overnight experts in the personal care of a loved one. Keeping track of medications, helping someone get to the bathroom, or changing a dia per may seem daunting at first. Here are some ways to handle what may be a new, uncomfort able, or frightening experience:
If your loved one is receiving hospice care, rely on the hospice professionals to give you good information on what you need to do and how to do it. Make sure that you have written infor mation and the 24-hour phone number for questions that arise in the middle of the night.
Even if you are not using hospice care, a local hospice’s website may be a great and free online resource for learning basic caregiving strategies and techniques.
If care is complex and physi cally demanding for a prolonged period of time, acknowledge that you may need additional support in caring for your loved one. Most hospices can provide other options for providing care in hospice inpatient facilities, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities when pain and symptoms cannot be managed at home. n
Hospice Foundation of America
At OnePoint Patient Care, we understand how important it is to choose a hospice committed to the highest quality patient experience, service and care—especially when it comes to all-important symptom management.
As the nation’s leading provider of communitybased pharmacy services to hospices, we focus on serving those that meet the highest standards of patient care including:
• Working with specialists in hospice patient symptom management
• Partnering with pharmacies that stock hospice-ready medications in alternative dosage forms such as liquids, suppositories and creams
• Providing local, door-to-door medication delivery 24/7/365
Scan the QR code for our free download:
10 Essential Questions to Ask Prospective Hospice Care Providers Or visit solutions.oppc.com/hospicecare
Make sure you have the answers you need to choose a hospice dedicated to making each day the best day possible for you or your loved one.
Here for hospices, here for you. Proudly serving more than 500 hospice programs across all 50 states.
www.oppc.com info@oppc.com
