Wholeness Wheel
Listen and learn about the Wholeness Wheel from Pastor Ron’s sermon on Sunday, February 1, In Sickness and In Health.
Called to Care
Caring Conversations about Caregiving
Called to Care is designed to attract an interfaith audience interested in topics related to pastoral care and spiritual issues associated with end of life care. Clergy, Stephen ministers, pastoral caregivers, chaplains, students, lay leaders, healthcare professionals, and community members are welcome! FREE OF CHARGE!
When: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Bethany Lutheran Church
4500 E. Hampden Avenue
Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113
What: Dinner (6:00 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.)
Presentation and Discussion (6:45 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.)
Location: Great Hall
Registration: REQUIRED!
Lindsay Vassar (303) 398-6326 or lvassar@lifequalityinstitute.org
FEBRUARY 11, 2010
The Family Challenge of Illness
Chronic/terminal illness is not an individual challenge. Rather, it is a challenge presented to a family wherein the concerns and emotions of each person within the context of the family must be considered if the family is to function effectively and meet the demands of the illness.
APRIL 22, 2010
Demystifying Hospice and Palliative Care
Learn the truth about available medical options for those who are seriously or terminally ill in order to enhance the quality of life and alleviate suffering.
JUNE 10, 2010
Grief: Out of the Closet
We live in a society that grieves well and mourns poorly. We have become experts at stuffing our emotions, avoiding the pain of our losses, and diverting our attention through addictive behaviors. There comes a time when we need to air out our losses, experience and express the intensity of our emotions, and understand that our losses must be integrated into our lives, not avoided.
AUGUST 12, 2010
Compassion Fatigue
To witness suffering of another person (emotionally, spiritually, or physically) puts us at risk of experiencing compassion fatigue. Whether working as a professional caregiver or companioning our friends and family, we often manifest the stress expressed by those we serve due to our empathetic and compassionate response to the situation. We must learn to recognize the signals of compassion fatigue, in ourselves and our colleagues, and subsequently engage in corrective behaviors.
OCTOBER 14, 2010
Viewing End of Life through the Spiritual Lens
When working with patients and their families, pastoral caregivers and healthcare professionals must understand how patients perceive illness. Punishment? A test of faith? Biological defect? Luck of the draw? There is not a “right” answer nor a universal truth regarding illness. By being sensitive, respectful, and attentive to the influence of spiritual beliefs regarding end of life decisions, we are better able to compassionately address the ethical dilemmas so prevalent in healthcare today and thereby hopefully avoid divisive confrontation. We must seek to understand before we seek to be understood.
DECEMBER 9, 2010
How is it with Your Soul?
What is existential suffering, and why is it so often a concern at the end of life? Explore the relationship between spirituality and existential suffering in order to determine appropriate assessment tools and subsequent effective interventions.
Called to Care is made possible through the generous financial support of Olinger Mortuaries and Cemeteries as well as the gracious hospitality of Bethany Lutheran Church. We at Life Quality Institute wish to express our sincere appreciation for the collaborative spirit exhibited by our sponsor and host.
2009 H1N1 Vaccine Target Groups*
2009 H1N1 Vaccine Target Groups*
- Pregnant women
- Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months old
- Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
- All people from 6 months through 24 years of age
- People aged 25 through 64 years with chronic health conditions (including asthma, heart disease, diabetes, HIV, and other disorders)
*As recommended by the CDC. Ask your doctor what flu vaccines are recommended for you.
Practice Healthy Habits During Flu Season
Practice Healthy Habits During Flu Season to protect yourself and others from getting sick
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. If a tissue is unavailable, cough or sneeze into your shoulder or elbow instead of your hands.
- Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer stations are now available in the BLC narthex, the hospitality desk and the fellowship hall in addition to restroom hand washing facilities.
“Sharing of the peace” may be expressed through a traditional handshake or alternately, by other expressions of greeting such as a touch on the arm, a hand wave or other no-contact gestures of goodwill.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Get the seasonal flu vaccine and the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine. A seasonal flu vaccine will NOT protect you against 2009 H1N1. Ask your doctor what flu vaccines are recommended for you.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Keep sick children at home.
- If you have flu-like symptoms (fever with cough or sore throat), stay home for at least 24 hours after you are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
If you are ill and not able to attend church, you are encouraged to continue participation through Bethany’s website http://www.bethany-denver.org/ where sermons and other valuable ministry information is available. If you do not have computer access, please call the church at 303.758.2820 for information to be mailed to you and/or for additional assistance.
What else is BLC doing to minimize exposure to the flu?
- Nursery toys are sanitized each week
- Communion Assistants use hand sanitizers before and after communion distribution
In partnership with BLC’s leadership and pastoral staff, your Health and Wellness Cabinet (HWC) welcome your support and assistance to stay healthy during the 2009-2010 flu season.
Flu is a serious contagious disease.
If you are sick with flu-like illness, the CDC recommends you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.
Flu – like symptoms associated with both the Seasonal Flu as well as the new, 2009 H1N1 Flu include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Body aches
- Headache
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea
Health Stewardship
This series of articles was produced by Oakwood Healtcare (Michigan), who has kindly given us permission to reproduce the series. Oakwood’s philosophy in making the series available to faith communities is reflected in this statement from their website: There is no gift more basic to our purpose in the physical world than our bodies. Stewardship of Health treats the right use and care of one’s body as a fundamental value of the Christian faith. Each article makes this point in terms of the practical teaching and human example of Jesus, concepts that find blessing and meaning in things as they are.
Oakwood Healthcare, Inc., 2008. All rights reserved. Used with permission – Contact Jack Lindsey (drjacklindsey@comcast.net) for information.
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