We grow up thinking chicken soup will make us well, but when a person has trouble swallowing, the simple act of eating or drinking can become dangerous. Difficulty swallowing is known medically as dysphagia. It can cause not just choking, but also aspiration pneumonia when liquids or food particles slide down the windpipe and infect the lungs.
Hospice stories of deathbed visions are common with dying patients reporting visits from deceased loved ones, angels, or spiritual guides. While it may be difficult to understand or explain deathbed visions, hospice care staff have seen them bring real comfort to dying patients.
When we turn our clocks back and days get shorter, many of us feel disoriented and mourn the loss of daylight. But for patients with dementia, the effects can be profound. A symptom called sundowning, which relates to increased agitation or confusion among men and women experiencing dementia, is common and disruptive. And as we usher in the colder months, sundowning can get worse.
Without a doubt, the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic have been the frontline workers who have worked tirelessly to keep Americans safe and healthy. While many nurses and doctors have received public recognition for their services, there are countless other healthcare professionals who have remained under the radar. Despite playing a big role in the frontline response to COVID-19, respiratory therapists have simply not received enough public recognition for the care they’ve provided to countless patients.
“Empathy plays a huge part in my volunteer work. I can’t take credit for anything I do. I believe God has put me through things that make me understand where I am today.” Those are the words of Virginia Spikes who has been volunteering at Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care in Memphis since 2014.
Most people know that cancer is a leading cause of death – responsible for 10 million deaths worldwide annually. But do they know that cancer can conceal itself, sending messages to the body that it is healthy — all while using the body’s systems to help itself grow undetected?
