Learn more about the relationship between caregiving, palliative care and pain management.
Caregivers
FYI – Naloxone
Naloxone is the most important item in a caregiver’s toolbox when there is an opioid prescription in the home. When a loved one is prescribed an opioid to help manage the unique pain from cancer treatments, the disease itself or another chronic illness, a naloxone kit should also be ordered by the prescribing physician. Naloxone…
View Here Self-Care: The Mechanics of Breathing
Breathing provides us with the most important thing we need to live: oxygen. But as we age, we fall into bad habits; we do not breathe in the most optimal or ideal way. And when stressed, it can feel as if we forget to breathe altogether. Exploring the mechanics of breathing will help us understand…
View Here Self-Care: Resources for Mental Health and Well-Being
For Immediate Help National Suicide Prevent Lifeline – 1 (800) 273-TALK (8255) The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY – 1 (800) 799-4889 Crisis Text Line – Text “help” to 741741 to communicate with a counselor Dial 911 The Veterans Crisis Line: 1 (800) 273-8255, press 1 Text: 8383255 Confidential…
View Here Self-Care: Mental Health and Well-Being Glossary
anticipatory grief – The grief or mourning that occurs when a death or great loss is expected. anxiety – A state of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear resulting from the anticipation of a realistic or fantasized threatening event or situation, often impairing physical and psychological functioning. awareness – Knowledge and understanding that something is happening or…
View Here Caregiver – Veteran and Military Resources
Department of Veterans Affairs, Family Caregiver Assistance Program – Find out eligibility and how to apply for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). This program offers caregiver training programs, peer support mentoring, educational resources, support services and multiple tools to help military and Veteran caregivers. Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) –…
View Here Family Caregiver’s Bill of Rights
The StewARTworks Foundation supports the family caregiver’s right to: Maintain and promote their own health and wellbeing. Expect all their loved one’s healthcare professionals to be knowledgeable about concerns and options related to the care recipient, caregiver and family; and to recognize the importance of the palliative care support system to improving the overall quality…
View Here Online Resources – Advance Care Planning
GET PALLIATIVE CARE How to Prepare Your Own Advance Directives Planning for Serious Illness. Advocating for Loved Ones Healthcare Proxy vs. Living Will Planning for the Future: A Living Will Update CONVERSATION PROJECT – Dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for advance health care planning. An initiative of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement…
View Here Pain Management & the Caregiver
How caregivers can help their loved ones who are being treated for pain and what to expect from pain management.
View Here Patient & Caregiver Advocacy
Caregivers play an important role in advocating for their loved ones.
View Here Articles & Publications
Articles and publications covering a wide range of topics related to caregiving, palliative care and pain management.
View Here Caregiver – Online Resources
Helpful links to organizations and online guides that support caregivers.
View Here Books: Caregivers
A reading list of books that caregivers will find informative and interesting.
View Here Meeting the Needs of Caregivers
The health and well being of caregivers is critical for providing care to their loved ones.
View Here Caregivers & Palliative Care
How caregivers can balance the stresses and demands of caregiving and palliative care.
View Here Caregivers & Caregiving
Information to help you establish a stable foundation on which to build your caregiving.
View Here Palliative Care
Books: Palliative Care
Medical Reference Tarascon Palliative Medicine Pocketbook. Bates D. Moses, MD, Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2014 Oxford American Handbook of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care. Sriram Yennurajalingam, MD and Eduardo Bruera, MD, Oxford University Press, 2016 Palliative Care and Ethics. Edited by Timothy E. Quill and Franklin G. Miller, Oxford University Press, 2014 Prescription…
View Here Online Resources – Advance Care Planning
GET PALLIATIVE CARE How to Prepare Your Own Advance Directives Planning for Serious Illness. Advocating for Loved Ones Healthcare Proxy vs. Living Will Planning for the Future: A Living Will Update CONVERSATION PROJECT – Dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for advance health care planning. An initiative of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement…
View Here Definitions: Palliative Care
A brief description of important words, terms and phrases related to palliative care.
View Here Online Resources: Palliative Care
Helpful links to organizations and online guides regarding palliative care and palliative medicine.
View Here Meeting the Palliative Care Team
Learn how to effectively interact with the palliative care team to improve your loved one's care.
View Here Future of Palliative Care
Actions to help increase awareness and access to palliative care in the future.
View Here Reality of Palliative Care
Understand the reality of palliative care and when you should seek it out.
View Here Palliative Care
Learn what palliative care is and how it can help your family's quality of life.
View Here Pain Management
Safely Securing and Disposing of Medications
Safely securing and disposing of unused or expired medications eliminates an unnecessary risk in the home, especially if children are present. Safely Securing Prescription Medications Never share medications with family members or friends. If guests will be in your home, place prescription medications in a medication lockbox. Keep all medications out of reach of children…
View Here Specialty Pharmacies
Specialty pharmacies handle medications that are given by infusion, injection or orally. These medications traditionally cost more than prescription medications, have special storage and handling requirements and need to be administered on a strict schedule. Patients, being treated for pain, may be prescribed higher dosages of opioids and opioid “rescue medications” that will require a…
View Here Online Resources: Pain Management
Helpful links to organization and online guides regarding pain and pain management.
View Here Definitions: Pain Management
A brief description of important words, terms and phrases related to pain and pain management.
View Here The Role of Art in Pain Management
Studies show that art can be therapeutic for cancer patients and their caregivers.
View Here Opioid Safety
The signs and symptoms of overmedication or overdose, what to do in an emergency and how to keep medication safe.
View Here Opioid Use Disorder
Understanding the difference between addiction, tolerance and physical dependence.
View Here Managing Pain
This section will discuss the various medications, along with other treatments and techniques that can be used to manage pain.
View Here