Bracket Buster

Madness of March

There is something special about the month of March, throughout history in every culture and religion, there is something special set aside for the time period surrounding the Spring Equinox.  Over the centuries, humanity has rejoiced in the survival of the darkness of winter and tinged with a certain madness, celebrated the spring with the hope of things to come and the birth of new life all around us. March is also the time when a seer warned Caesar to beware the Ides of March for certain doom was to fall upon him.  In the twenty-first century, the here and now, all across America and to some extent, the globe, the sporting world welcomes March for a different kind of madness, a different kind of hope and a different kind of doom.  I’m talking about the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.  You don’t have to be a basketball fan in the least to be effected by this annual phenomenon.  For most of us, this is an event that permeates the news, captures our imagination to one extent of another and lasts for a few weeks.  For others, this madness can destroy and bring a person to the brink of ruin.

March is National Gambling Awareness Month.  When I first read that March was Gambling Awareness Month I thought it an odd month to try and raise awareness of gambling…then I realized that March is the month that millions of people go a little crazy (and not just because it’s Spring).  Gambling on NCAA sports is illegal in all states except Nevada but it is still estimated between 9 and 12 Billion dollars will be wagered this month on men’s college basketball.  I don’t follow college hoops like I did when I was in college preferring now to spend my limited time with my family and other pursuits.  However, because filling out brackets is a social skill, something to be discussed at varying levels of society (like Super Bowl commercials) , I fill one outevery year with my brother just for bragging right…just for the fun of it…but not everyone has fun.

“…participation is all in good fun, (but) for many problem gamblers ‘March Madness’ truly describes their incredibly strong, persistent urges to gamble regardless of the consequences,” says Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council of Problem Gambling. “People affected by gambling addiction report feeling trapped during the NCAA tournament, bombarded by commercials and conversations about selections, brackets and Cinderella teams.”

Any form of addiction is a serious burden to the not only the one who suffers from the addiction, but the family of the addict, the friends of the addict and society as a whole suffers from the behavior of the addict.  There are those who scoff at the idea of a gambling addiction, who think that the irresistible impulse to wager on something is not as real as a chemical addiction to say heroin, or alcohol…but there are many addictions out there and those unstoppable urges are real for all addicts.  This month we focus on Gambling Addiction and we as a society try and reach out and help those who are in need because as caring neighbors, that’s what we should do.  If you or someone you know struggles with this addiction, there is help available to you.  As with any addiction, the feeling of shame and helplessness can be overwhelming…but there are people who can help.  For more ideas on how to have the conversation, and information on problem gambling prevention and treatment resources, visit the National Council on Problem Gambling at ncpgambling.org or contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline 24/7: Call or text 1-800-522-4700, or chat at ncpgambling.org/chat.

As always, thanks for reading and I hope that everyone enjoys this season of the year as much as I do.  Be on the lookout for spring flowers and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

The Gateway to Health

Happy Friday Everyone, I hope everyone had a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day yesterday.  I spent my morning yesterday getting my kids ready for school and then I was off to visit my dentist for my six month check-up.  As I was relaxing in the chair getting my teeth cleaned my mind was out and about thinking of how dental care impacts our daily health.  There is an old saying that the eyes are the window to the soul, if that axiom is true (and I believe it is) then the mouth is the gateway to good…or poor health. 

Let’s take a look at some of the numbers provided by the American Dental Association (2014):  of adults age 18 and over who were surveyed, only 52% report to visit their dentist every six months which is recommended for proper cleaning and oral health.  15% report going once a year…11% report going once every few years and an incredible 21% report to have not been to the dentist in several years.  The number for children and teens are a little better…65% of patients under the age of 18 report seeing their dentist every six months.  20% report going once a year…4% reports going every few years and 11% report not having been in several years.  I find some of these numbers a bit surprising but then when one sits and thinks about the why and how these numbers distribute the way they do one could almost understand some of them. 

Some folks rationalize their decision not to visit the dentist with the ol’ “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, only going to their dentist when there is a medical need to go and then, only if there is nothing else that can be done.  Other just don’t have the means (read income or insurance) to visit the dentist, even once a year, which in my mind would be better than never.  And then some folk just don’t trust a dentist as far as they could throw them and have a great fear of their medical art.  According to the Colgate Oral Care Center, “People with dental phobia often put off routine care for years or even decades. To avoid it, they'll put up with gum infections (periodontal disease), pain, or even broken and unsightly teeth….It has been estimated that 9% to 15% of Americans avoid seeing the dentist because of anxiety and fear. That's about 30 million to 40 million people.”

The critical part here is that as more and more research is conducted on the link between dental care and general health, the numbers are starting to show just how important dental care really is.  Poor oral care has been linked in one way or another to have a negative impact on the following chronic illnesses and conditions…Pregnancy: women who have poor oral health and are pregnant have a higher chance of delivering premature and/or the baby having a low birth weight.  There have been links to plaque build-up and gum disease to the decreased health and wellness of the patient’s cardiovascular system.  Patients who suffer COPD or from pneumonia are at greater risk for prolonged illness if they also have gum disease because of the bacteria that enters the body through the infected gums.  Diabetics are also at risk from gum disease, again, from the chance if infections from slow healing bleeding gums.  There are several more illnesses that are linked to and exacerbated by poor oral health but My hope here today is to just raise your awareness of the importance of taking care of your teeth and gums…after all, it’s the gateway to your body, protect it.

As always, thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  If you have any questions for me or anyone here at the office, drop me an email.  Have a great weekend everyone, be safe and take care of each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Just a Thought

Happy Pi Day Everyone!

            Today being March 14th, we celebrate Pi Day.  What is Pi you ask?  Pi is that elusive magical number that helps us find the circumference or the area of a circle and is represented by the Greek letter Pi  or numerically 3.14 (which is why today, 3/14 is Pi Day).  Armed with this mysterious number and some basic math formulas, you can now calculate the amount of fencing you might need to go around an above ground pool…or how much sand you might need for the pool’s base…you can even calculate how many gallons of water you will need to fill your above ground pool well before you turn on the tap!  I know as the warming weather makes us all think of spring and the promise of summer and swimming you might be wondering what all this math has to do with healthcare. 

            The search for the number of Pi is today recognizable as 3.14159265 (and it never ends…never!) once upon a time this number was greatly sought after but not attained.  As far back as ancient Egypt, mathematicians struggled to come up with a number that would accurately give them the answer they needed…they were close but the absolute answer eluded them.  In the ancient world, the first closest discovery of Pi was by the Greek mathematician Archimedes over two thousand years ago.  Over the past 2000 years, mathematicians have continued to study Pi and he patterns within its never ending sequence.  Even today, there are those who continue to toil and study what this number is and what it can do.  As mathematicians have been searching for mathematical truths throughout time, humanity has been studying healing arts since the first persons walked the earth.  There was once a time when people thought that everything there was to be discovered had been discovered and that humanity was at the pinnacle of the scientific age…then the invention of the airplane came about and the whole world changed yet again.  The ongoing search for the next level of healthcare improvement is an ongoing, never ending process…much like Pi, it’s reach and impact goes on to infinity.  Hundreds of thousands of doctors, nurses, aides, researchers, social worker, philanthropist and anyone else who stands up for the continued improvement of the health and welfare of humanity…we all have a never ending job of helping and healing.  We go on for infinity…like Pi. 

            So, as you settle in for dessert tonight (or whenever the mood strikes) and your thoughts turn to maybe a nice slice of apple pie, keep in mind that ol’ Greek Mathematician Archimedes and his search for Pi too.  And as you ponder that marvelous number 3.14 that roles onto infinity, think about all the people who are out there today, seen and unseen, who are striving non-stop to make our world a better place by providing us all with the best health and care possible.  So thank a healthcare worker for what they do and maybe buy them a piece of Pi.  Thanks for reading as always and remember to take care of each other, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Provider Spotlight

Five Hundred Hats

Happy Friday everyone!  I’m not sure if you are familiar with or have even read the story by Dr. Seuss titled The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1938).  I won’t go into great detail but in a nut shell…every time Bartholomew tries to take off his hat before the king, a new one appears on the top of his head…and the closer Bartholomew gets to the 500th hat, the more elaborate and elegant the hats become.  Yesterday, I had the opportunity and the pleasure to sit with one of the case managers from the Area 9 Agency, Tricia Luebbe of the Richmond office.  While I was talking with her about what the Area 9 Agency does for our communities and the tireless work she and her co-workers perform for their clients, this book crept into the back of my mind. 

Case managers from the Area 9 Agency are charged with the task of checking in with clients who have sought help to get connected to various services that are provided throughout Fayette, Franklin, Rush, Union and Wayne counties that make up the Area 9 service area.  I asked Tricia about how many cases they manage at any given time and I was shocked to hear how many people they are helping week in and week out.  At any given moment the case managers could have up to seventy cases that they take care of.  Some of these individuals are very self-sufficient and require very little in the way of extra help from the case workers but many of the clients that are in the care of the case worker needs a little more.  This is where the 500 hats comes in…these men and women who help their clients sometimes need to wear many different hats of responsibility during the process of discharging the best service possible for their clients.  Case workers like Tricia are advocates for their clients as they deal with the various state and local agencies that their clients deal with.  Maybe a client doesn’t fully understand their insurance or their Medicaid application, maybe there is a medical condition that might cause a foul up with the acceptance of services, depending on the situation, Tricia and her co-workers pull out whatever “hat” is needed and works to resolve the issue.

The Area 9 Agency really does a great job of helping people of all ages connect to the right services within the community.  They have been a division Indiana University since the early 1970’s and the number of people that have been helped numbers in the thousands.  I think every person who strives to serve those in need has a success story that might stand out above the rest…Tricia is no different.  She shared several stories where the common theme involved the client overcoming obstacles like transportation issues (due to being wheelchair bound), being on a fixed income, lack of family support, etc. and due to the services they were connected with, rose out of the shadows of those challenges and obstacles in order to lead a fuller and well-rounded life.

By choosing to accept the challenge of wearing many different hats that comes with selflessly helping others better their lives, people like Tricia and the rest of the good folks at Area 9 continue to make a daily impact in our communities.  Check out their website and see what they might be able to do for you or someone you may know.  http://www.iue.edu/area9/index.html  Again, my hat is off to Tricia and her fellow case workers…thanks for reading everyone, have a great weekend and remember, take care of each other, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Just a Thought

What’s Your Pebble?

Have you ever had a pebble in your shoe?  That tiny little stone that somehow finds its way into to your shoe and causes discomfort, maybe even pain.  What do you do?  Some people stop, take their shoe off and try and get the stone out right away no matter where they are or what they are doing…relief is the highest priority of the moment.  Then there are those who might be in a place or situation where they can’t take their shoe off…so they wiggle their foot and try and move the pebble to a spot in order to try and minimize the discomfort of the stone.  Some folks try and ignore it all together and pretend that it isn’t there, kind of a mind over matter approach.  I confess, depending on where I am and what I’m doing, I use all of the above techniques when I have a stone in my shoe…but what about the little stones of life?  What pebbles are making you feel uncomfortable or causing you stress or strife?  What are you doing about those pebbles?

We all have pebbles in our shoes…things that concern us and my cause an elevated level of anxiety or stress…work, bills, relationships, etc. the list could go on and on.  The question is how do we approach these pebble of life to deal with them?  Do you choose to ignore them and hope that the pebble will fall out of your shoe like it fell into your shoe or do you take a more proactive approach and confront the pebble in your shoe in order to relieve the discomfort?  I can’t answer this question for you any more than you could answer the question for me.  The discussion I heard this past weekend about pebbles put me in an introspective frame of mind about what my pebbles are and inspired me to write on this topic today.

Self-efficacy is the ability to believe in one’s self and the ability to accomplish something…I believe I can go out and run a mile and thus I go out and run a mile.  I believe I can achieve better health through eating healthier, I start eating better and achieve better health.  It’s the ability to believe in yourself and accomplish the things you believe in and for most people it’s easier said than done.  Developing a positive mental outlook and being able to face the challenges of life take practice and time to develop.  Like physical exercise to strengthen our bodies, we all need to practice positive mental health habits to strengthen our self-efficacy and our ability to face the daily grind.  There have been loads of supportive evidence that clearly state that a person who has a sense of emotional, psychological and social well-being are healthier people.  People who fall into this category have lower reported cases of having chronic illness and have an overall higher level quality of health.

 We all have setbacks in our daily life, it’s how we deal with it that can cause us more or less stress.  If you are feeling overwhelmed with life or feel you need help but just aren’t sure how to receive help…you just need someone to show you how to get the pebbles of life out of your shoe…there are people who can help.  If you are wanting to reach out and shore up your support network or find a professional to talk to there are organizations and resources (online, local community centers, churches and even hospitals) to help you connect with the people who can help.  Sometimes we all need a little help getting a pebble out of our shoe, don’t be afraid to ask for help…remember, we’re all in this together.  Have a good week everyone.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Provider Spotlight

The Power of One

            Several Years ago the US Army had an ad campaign that promoted the idea of each individual who joined the armed service could be an “Army of One”. The meaning I took from this advertisement was that by joining the army and by the time the training and service were complete, an individual could be as strong as an army, even standing alone.  The possibilities of a person were endless in what they could accomplish with that service experience instilled within.  There are many cases where a person who stands alone can make a difference in the life of another and it doesn’t always involve standing as an army alone (though sometimes it helps).  Sometimes it is one person’s observations of a need and then having the courage to advocate for the resources to meet that need.

            This past week I had the opportunity to sit and talk at length with one of our area health care contributors, Janie Manning, who is the discharge planner at Rush Memorial Hospital in Rushville, Indiana.  A kind and gentle woman who has worked at Rush Memorial for several years, Janie has a deep passion for the patients she serves and the families she helps.  As discharge planner, Janie helps patients and the family of patients sort through and navigate the colossal and copious amounts of paperwork involved with hospital care and the care needed following a stay in the hospital.  On occasion, the patient has no family to depend upon and sometimes the patient has no prospect of surviving a terminal illness…the question then becomes, “Now what?”

            Janie had such a patient not too long ago. This particular patient needed hospice care to help with his end of life needs, but with no family in the area and the medical needs that the hospital was giving, the only option at the time was a long term care facility that kept shuttling the patient back and forth with little rest.  What was needed was an in hospital hospice center so the patient could be comfortable and rest easy and still receive the care he needed.  At the time the closest hospital to provide such services was in Columbus, IN which is over an hour away from Rushville, the patient’s home.  Moved by the suffering of one of her charges, Janie had the courage and foresight to bring the idea of an in hospital hospice unit to the hospital administration and to their credit, the administration bought into the idea and set the wheels in motion to fill the need.  Last August (2015) Rush Memorial Hospital opened their in hospital hospice unit with the expectations of being able to serve one or two hospice patients per month with their end of life care needs.   

             Armed with the knowledge of the respectful and gentle care the patients are receiving in this unit at this time of life, the response has been far greater than expected.  Rush Memorial Hospital is a small rural hospital that offers a stunning array of services and continues to expand their capabilities but the true power of this organization is represented by the people that work within its healing walls.  Because of the courage of one woman who has a passion to help those in need, dozens upon dozens of patients and families have been helped (in a very short period) during a trying time for the families with the compassion and kindness because of the power of one.

             As always, thanks for reading, pass this along and give someone the courage to speak up and be their own power of one and who knows what great thing will pop up from the ground that can benefit us all…remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

An Ounce of Prevention

            Happy Leap Day everyone!  I hope everyone has had a chance to take advantage of our extra day this year, maybe commit a random act of kindness or take a chance to try something new.  Enjoy! 

            I think growing up we have all heard at one time or another the phrase, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and if you haven’t, well, you just read it.  There are many cliché sayings out and about in our world and some of them even ring true…much like the one I just wrote.  It is a saying that can apply to so many different areas in life only if we apply the knowledge in the right place at the right time.  A brief example…it is better (i.e. less expensive) to perform regular maintenance on your car than to have to replace the car’s engine when the oil fails to keep the engine from overheating and the motor seizes.  Twenty-five dollars for an oil change vs twenty-five hundred dollars for a motor change…ounce of prevention vs a pound of cure.

            This same principle applies with our own health and care of our health.  Over the weekend I saw a commercial for a national health insurance carrier…they weren’t necessarily promoting their own prowess of their coverage or how fast they could help with medications or even your hospital stay.  This commercial was promoting the concept of approaching healthcare from a proactive standpoint sharing how this approach could save the holder of the policy time and money.  Navigating our own healthcare needs on a good day can be complex at best and due to the nature of the rising cost of healthcare, we as patients, tend to be reactionary in nature.  We as a population, tend to only seek out care and advice on the state of our health only when we are not feeling quite right or if something goes wrong with our health. We rationalize this by saying that we don’t have time or that we can’t afford it…etcetera and so on.  Historically, we are a reactionary society (when it comes to our health) and because of this reactive tendency the cost of treatment for our illness that develop over time (Hart disease, Diabetes, Cancer, etc.) cost thousands of dollars more to treat than if we had been more proactive in our healthcare. 

            Fortunately, the national trend is for people to be more involved in their healthcare before long term health issues occur and those benefits of being more involved and preemptive with healthcare are being seen.  There has been continued research and studies that show time and again that being proactive vs reactionary in the managing of our health leads to better, long term health.  These benefits of being more proactive in one’s approach to one’s own health include but are by no means limited to a better quality of life and lower healthcare costs.  Allow me to go on a tangent if you will, a smoker gives up smoking…short term benefits are breathing easier and savings of not shelling out four to six dollars per pack of cigarettes (multiplied by however many packs consumed per week).  Long term benefits of quitting smoking are reduced chance of cardio-pulmonary disease (or other smoking related illness) and the massive savings in healthcare by not having to treat those types of illness…being proactive vs reactive…it just makes sense.   

When it comes to our health, an ounce of prevention really does prevent a pound (or two) of cure.  I hope this is something that you can think on in an open frame of mind or maybe share with a loved one.  It is never too late to take steps in the right direction when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle.  I hope everyone has a good week and remember, we’re all in this together.

 Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

besthomecareservices@comcast.net

Provider Spotlight

Hidden Gem

            I belong to a local service organization in my home town and we often have guest speakers that come to our Wednesday night dinner meetings and share information of how their organization helps our local community.  Usually the speaker discusses a topic or shares information about their organization that the rest of us are all familiar with but in our last meeting, almost all of us in attendance were pleasantly surprised to learn of a local, little hidden gem.  Our guest speaker, Marilyn Sasser (Executive Director), of the Oxford Free Clinic came to our meeting to share not only who they are but to also share about the people they serve. 

The Oxford Free Clinic (also called the Oxford College Corner Clinic) provided services for around 400 patients last year and expect to come close to those same numbers for 2016.  Even though they are based out of Oxford, Ohio they serve patients from all over Butler and Preble counties in Ohio as well as Franklin and Union counties in Indiana.  The clinic is comprised of over 40 volunteers that take time to see patients on the first three Wednesdays of the month.  Their home office is based out of McCullough-Hyde Hospital in Oxford but they see patients in their different locations.  The mission of the clinic is pretty straight forward and gives a good explanation of what they do and who they serve.

“Our mission is to reach the chronically ill, especially those with congestive heart failure, diabetes, or hypertension, and those who have significant monthly medical costs.  We want to enable area residents to follow their prescribed course of treatment.”

It was inspiring to hear Mrs. Sasser share the success stories of the patients she and the volunteers of the clinic are able to help through their selfless acts of helping their community.  With a number of physicians, nurses, and community/student volunteers the clinic is able to help those who just can’t afford the medication that they need for proper health.  One of my favorite stories she shared was about a patient who was diabetic and couldn’t afford the proper medication.  Because of poor health, this individual couldn’t work and was struggling with public assistance.  But now that this individual has proper medication to manage their diabetes, their health has improved to such a point that they are now working full time.  The clinic was able to literally turn this individual’s life around and help give them the boost they needed to become self-sufficient.  You can check out more about the Free Clinic at their website:  http://www.oxfordfreeclinic.org/home.html

There are hundreds of people in our local communities, be it Richmond, Connersville, Brookville, etc… who give their talents, time and money to help our neighbors all around us each and every day.  I encourage you search yourself to see if there is something that you feel you might be able to offer to help in your community.  Not everyone can be an MD, RN or even a CNA, but I bet if you looked and asked, there will always be a spot for someone to answer phones or pass out flyers.  Maybe they need help in a free clinic in your home town or maybe it’s something as simple as visiting the local nursing home to visit with the residents and share an encouraging word, we can all do something.  I encourage you to get involved and see what difference you can make in making a better life for someone else…remember, we are all in this together.

Thanks for reading,

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

besthomecareservices@comcast.net

Health Highlight

Food on the Brain

Welcome to the new week everyone, I hope you had a great weekend and had a chance to enjoy the incredible spring like weather.  Who would have thought that it would get that warm just a few days after a snowstorm! 

This week is National Eating Disorder Week 2016 (Feb21-Feb27).  I bet most of you didn’t realize that.  Eating disorders affect millions (tens of millions) of Americans each and every year and have a lasting effect on a person’s mental and physical status as well as quality of life.  First, let’s get a better understanding of what an eating disorder is, according to the website by Eating Disorder Hope, an eating disorder, “…describes illnesses that are characterized by irregular eating habits and severe distress or concern about body weight or shape. Eating disturbances may include inadequate or excessive food intake which can ultimately damage an individual’s well-being.” 

There are three common types of eating disorders that are prevalent in our society.  Eating disorders can affect all ages of people from young children to the elderly, the most common age group that suffers from eating disorders are teens.

“Anorexia Nervosa-The individual suffering from anorexia nervosa will typically have an obsessive fear of gaining weight, refusal to maintain a healthy body weight, and an unrealistic perception of body image. Many people with anorexia nervosa will fiercely limit the quantity of food they consume and view themselves as overweight, even when they are clearly underweight. Anorexia can have damaging health effects, such as brain damage, multi-organ failure, bone loss, heart difficulties, and infertility. The risk of death is highest in individuals with this disease.”

“Bulimia Nervosa-This eating disorder is characterized by repeated binge eating followed by behaviors that compensate for the overeating, such as forced vomiting, excessive exercise, or extreme use of laxatives or diuretics.  Individuals who suffer with Bulimia may fear weight gain and feel severely unhappy with their body size and shape. The binge-eating and purging cycle is typically done in secret, creating feelings of shame, guilt, and lack of control. Bulimia can have injuring effects, such as gastrointestinal problems, severe hydration, and heart difficulties resulting from an electrolyte imbalance.”

“Binge Eating Disorder- Individuals who suffer from Binge Eating Disorder will frequently lose control over his or her eating. Different from bulimia nervosa however, episodes of binge-eating are not followed by compensatory behaviors, such as purging, fasting, or excessive exercise. Because of this, many people suffering with binge-eating disorder may be obese and at an increased risk of developing other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. Individuals who struggle with this disorder may also experience intense feelings of guilt, distress, and embarrassment related to their binge-eating, which could influence further progression of the eating disorder.”

“Eating Disorders are complex disorders, influenced by a facet of factors. Though the exact cause of eating disorders is unknown, it is generally believed that a combination of biological, psychological and/or environmental abnormalities contribute to the development of these illnesses” 

All of this information and more can be found at:             http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/eating-disorder

I’m sure all my readers know of or have known of at least one person who has suffered or who is suffering from an eating disorder.  It’s a horrible thing to see a healthy person waste away before your eyes and feel powerless to help.  The ironic thing is that there is help all around us and it just take the courage to step forward and express concern out of friendship or for the love of humanity.  There are resources that can help such as the one I shared above and others like the National Eating Disorder Association http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/  I highly recommend that you take a moment this week and investigate these websites and others to gain a better understanding of eating disorders and the impact it has on all of us.  It’s important to be aware of these things because you never know who you might help and how…life’s funny that way.  Don’t be afraid to email me if you have thoughts or questions and please feel free to share this with your other friends out there.  Take care and have a good week, remember, we’re all in this together.

Thanks for reading,

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

besthomecareservices@comcast.net

Birthday Benefits

Happy Birthday to YOU!

            Welcome to the weekend everyone and I hope to leave you with some food for thought (like birthday cake!) as we head into this spring like weekend.  My best friend in the whole world is celebrating her birthday today…what a treat it is to celebrate the joy and happiness of a birthday with those you love and care about.  In our household, we treat birthdays like a national holiday, (except we still all go to work or school no matter how much we want to stay home, right?)  Birthdays are an important date for all of us to remember and take part of.  There are those who downplay their birthday or who downright pretend that they don’t even have one…and I disagree with that philosophy.  The question begs, why?  Why is it so important to celebrate your own birthday?

            There are medical benefits to celebrating your own birthday.  There are those that might seem obvious and there are those that you may not be aware of.  After doing a little digging I was able to find (without much trouble) a few things that stand out to me. 

Celebrating your birthday allows you to recognize your self-worth, we all have value that we share with those around us, celebrating a birthday is a way of recognizing that value.  Celebrating a birthday gives a positive boost to your emotional balance…in other words, celebrating makes us happy!  Celebrating a birthday allows us all to improve our ability to express our gratitude.  I don’t know about the rest of you but every year on my birthday I look back over the previous year and take stock of the events of the year.  (I do the same thing every New Year as well…my own personal “State of The Union” so to speak.)  As I look back and reflect, I share with my family the things I’m thankful for…the things I’m grateful for…the good and the not so good.  I often tell my kids that you find what you look for…be it good or bad…in situations in life, so be on the look-out for the good in all situations no matter what…(aka, look for the silver lining in all situations because it’s there, you just have to find it).  The ability to express gratitude leads to better physical health (thankful people are less stressed), leads to better emotional health (thankful people are happier) and leads to better mental alertness. 

I know all this seems like a stretch for a blog topic from the home healthcare sector but I do have a point to all of this.  The ability to come home and celebrate a joyous occasion like a birthday seems like a simple thing, one that not everyone can enjoy.  I recommend that we all take a moment and give thanks for the opportunity to celebrate with the ones we love when we can and give thanks for the memories of celebrations past.  This life is fleeting so embrace your birthday and share the joy with all who are around you…that moment of kindness and gratitude may make a difference in the life of someone who really needs a moment of emotional balance or an emotional boost.  In life, we all deserve a little slice of cake, so go ahead and celebrate your day of birth, it’s special…just like you.   As always, feel free to email me with any further thoughts or comments.

            Have a great weekend everyone, I look forward to posting again soon and remember, take care of each other, we’re all in this together.

Thanks for reading,

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

besthomecareservices@comcast.net