Surviving the Heat | Tips to Stay Cool this Summer
As the summer heat wave continues to scorch Americans, it's important to know how to stay safe and cool. According to the National Weather Service, heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control states approximately 700 people die from heat-related illnesses every year, so older adults need to be aware of the risks and precautions.
Read full storyHealthcare Heroes Help Grant Patient's Last Wish
AccentCare Hospice workers in Dallas and McKinney, Texas, joined forces to grant a final wish for one of their hospice patients last week. The patient, Eva, wanted a spa day so she could “go out as a red head.” The AccentCare hospice team of about fifteen nurses, volunteer and outreach staff, social workers and volunteers quickly pooled their money and collected funds for a special day for their beloved patient. They organized a stylist to come to her house, since it was too hard for her to go to the salon.
Read full storyTry Healthy Hamburger Options This Holiday
On this Memorial Holiday weekend, many people are gathering to honor and remember those in the military who have died serving and protecting our nation's freedoms. As you remember those servicemen and women, you might be sharing a meal with family, friends, or other loved ones. Memorial Day is a great time to prep and fire up the grill to make hamburgers if you have company coming over for the day, especially since it's also National Hamburger Day this holiday weekend. Over 50 billion hamburgers are eatern every year according to PBS, so you're in the majority if your grilling them up.
Read full storyVeterans Honored in Memorial Service
AccentCare’s Michigan We Honor Veterans Committee hosted an event in recognition of community member veterans living at Piquette Square Veteran Apartments in Detroit, just steps from where Henry Ford’s first Model-T rolled off the assembly line. Prior to the memorial service, we were given a tour of the facility, grounds and gardens by one of the original residents named Robert. Robert is one of 5 veterans living at Piquette Square working on a mural that portrays the life of the veterans housed at Piquette Square. The mural begins on the far left with the depiction of active combat, including fallen comrades, and continues through the fear of snipers and fighting to stay alive. Robert explained that the face in the tree is the transformation in thought from worry of a sniper, to experiencing a “watchful angel.” The bright and colorful person sleeping on the bench portrays the turmoil of homelessness and the beginning of the journey through rehabilitation and “getting back home” in the sense of being well again within your own body. The mural ends with a representation of Piquette Square and the words “Home Sweet Home.” (See photo of mural, and Robert with the mural attached.)
Read full storyGiving Back To Rebuild the Community
Several organizations and businesses were hammering, drilling and painting this past Saturday as part of National Rebuilding Day 2023 on April 30th. Excited to join the Hartford group, 27 AccentCare hospice team members and Peoples Bank employees volunteered their time to repair a home on Vineland Terrace. The annual event happens at the same time and day across the U.S. and despite this year’s rain, wind, and cold, organizers and participants called the day a success!
Read full storyWhat's the Secret to Love? Find out from Longest Married Couple in New Jersey!
Don’t we all need a little more love? Just in time for Valentine’s Day, an AccentCare hospice team member discovered one of her patients and his wife are the longest married couple in the state of New Jersey according to Worldwide Marriage Encounters. They are even listed in the Library of Congress for their amazing love accomplishment.
Read full storySeamstress Brings Joy to Widow & Grandkids
Fabric, stuffing and thread. Three ordinary sewing items. In the hands of one volunteer seamstress near Boston, those three items turned into an extraordinary legacy of love. Usually, AccentCare hospice volunteers only sew one memory bear for families who’ve lost loved ones, so they’re not overwhelmed. But when a special request came in for six, the hospice team knew it had to be answered. And it was…in more ways than one. Patrice was tasked with this epic project. She knew making six precious bears for a recent widow’s grandchildren would take a while.
Read full storyFall Prevention Tips
More than 10,000 people turn 65 every day in the United States. As people are living longer, most want to stay in their homes as long as possible. One fall could change it all. During the winter months, hospitals see an increase in the amount of older adults with fall injuries. A quick walk to the mailbox could cause your loved one to fall due to icy surfaces. In the home, older adults are wrapped up in more clothing or blankets, which could cause them to get tripped up when rising up from a chair or couch.
Read full storyBlessings Boxes in Indianapolis
Blessings Boxes are popping up around Indianapolis, Indiana thanks to team members with AccentCare Home Health and Hospice. What exactly is a Blessing Box? It’s part of a project to help supply food to areas in the city that are considered ‘Food deserts’.
Read full storyCoping With Grief During the Holidays
It’s called the most wonderful time of year, but for many Americans struggling with grief, it’s not a festive time. All the holiday parties and decorations meant to bring joy, can magnify a grieving loved one’s sense of loss. Family traditions resurface and memories bubble up at times when it’s least expected. This can make social situations extra tough.
Read full storyPet Brings Peace to Tampa Hospice patient
A pet played a pivotal role for a local Tampa, FL woman on hospice. The 96-year-old patient suffered from advanced dementia and was nearing the end of her life while Hurricane Ian powered near the Tampa area. AccentCare nurses took care of Elvira as she waited for her daughter and beloved dog to get to the hospital inpatient hospice center. The local hospital was on lockdown because of the looming storm, so no visitors were allowed yet. After Hurricane Ian passed over, the patient’s dog, Luci, and her daughter, Heidi, were able to enter the hospital.
Read full storyYoung Hospice Patient Has Connection with Sea Turtles
It was a dream come true for a Texas hospice patient over the weekend at South Padre Island. 23-year-old Katelyn’s final wish was to visit sea turtles one last time. The San Antonio native’s dream was granted by AccentCare Hospice Foundation. The non-profit fulfilled her wish by sending her and her family to South Padre so she could see the beautiful creatures. “The trip was great, and it was just perfect for her,” said stepmom, Melissa.
Read full storyButterfly Memorial Brings Families Together
Many cultures, such as the Native American, Japanese, and Chinese, regard the butterfly as a symbol of hope and rejuvenation. Butterflies are also thought to be a sign of a deceased loved one making their spirit felt according to Filipino traditions.
Read full storyCoach Prime Delivers Hope During Water Crisis in Jackson, MS
Due to the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, Former Dallas Cowboy star player and Jackson State University Head Football Coach Deion Sanders, helped donate and deliver much needed water supplies for the residents in the city. AccentCare hospice was chosen to receive a huge truckload of the donated water for their hospice patients in the area.
Read full storyWrestling Alligators, Kids & Hurricanes on the TX Coast
Wrestling alligators, kids, and hurricanes down on the Texas coast, Rachel Clinton is one of many unique AccentCare nurses. She just celebrated her one-year anniversary with the home health, personal care services, and hospice company. When she met with her Regional Director of Operations, she told Denise her “why” for working at AccentCare had changed a little. Last year, she said her children were the main motivation for her job. She loved being able to drop them off at school before work and being available for them.
Read full storyBalloons & Spaghetti Help Hospice Families Cope
How are a balloon and a piece of spaghetti powerful reminders of loved ones who died? It was a beautiful evening to find the answer to that question. In Loveland, Colorado, the AccentCare hospice team joined with 35 family members for a late July Memorial Balloon Release. After a pasta dinner and brief program, families wrote messages on the balloons before the release. The poignant messages were heartfelt and meaningful from each family member who wrote them.
Read full storyPutting the Ho Ho Ho Back In Santa's Go Go Go!
Santa visiting with AccentCare Home Health's Candy McNeeseAccentCare Staff. If you’re wondering where Santa hides out in the Summer months, it’s in Tennessee. He’s celebrating Christmas in July. And even though it’s 100 plus degrees outside, the Christmas spirit is alive and well. AccentCare’s Home Health office in Franklin, always checks in with it’s rare patient in the hot summer months, so they stay off the Naughty List. For Home Health Clinical Manager, Candy McNeese, helping Santa put the Ho Ho Ho back into his Go Go Go is a top priority!
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