March 2017 Issue 15, Vol

Newsletter March 2017 Issue 15, Vol. 1

LifeSaver Contest Nursing Talk AND MORE… Enter the Challenge 13 WEEK 1ST LIFE SAVER CHALLENGE PRIZE

See program description and entry forms @ www.ahhc-1.com/lifesaver.php $500 2nd 3rd PRIZE PRIZE $300 $150

2 American Home Health Newsletter | March 2017 Arthritis in America Nursing Talk The Book Lady

Dear Cassandra,

I am a pediatric private duty nurse of a four- year-old little girl. Her family lives in a poor neighborhood in Chicago. Although both her father and mother are devoted to her, they have limited funds to buy newspapers, books, or magazines. How can I provide age appropriate books for her to look at and read?

A Lover of Books in Chicago

Overview Dear Lover of Books, About 1 in 4 (54 million) US adults Everyone knows someone with arthritis. It is a have arthritis. Reading to a child is one of the most impor- leading cause of disability, and causes pain, ach- tant things an adult can do. A close bond ing, stiffness, and swelling of the joints, but is About 24 million adults are limited in forms between the adult and the child as not a normal part of aging. The most common their activities from arthritis. together you enjoy the stories and pictures. types are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, The child also learns basic skills of how to gout, lupus, and fibromyalgia. Arthritis costs at Adults with arthritis can decrease pain read a book. For example, he learns that least $81 billion in direct medical costs annually. and improve function by about 40% the text is read from left to right. He learns Many adults with arthritis are prescribed opioid by being physically active. that the pictures illustrate the words. He medicines, yet other options for pain are safer. hears how the characters interact with other Physical activity can decrease pain and improve Problem characters in the book. The child learns how physical function by about 40% and may reduce to solve problems in an appropriate way. healthcare costs. Still, 1 in 3 adults with arthritis Arthritis is common and a growing health Reading books also exposes a child to new are inactive. Adults with arthritis also can re- threat. words and new experiences. duce their symptoms by participating in disease Arthritis is common in adults. According to scholastic.com, two-thirds management education programs. Only 1 in 10 • About 1 in 4 (54 million) adults have of children living in poverty have no books have taken part in these programs. Adults with arthritis. in the home. Your client’s situation is not arthritis are significantly more likely to attend • More than half of adults with arthritis unique. an education program when recommended by (32 million) are of working age (18- Where can you get books? Look for used a provider. 64 years). books at garage sales, resale shops, thrift Healthcare providers can: Arthritis is disabling. shops, and Goodwill stores. Check with your local library for used book sales. If you • Urge patients with arthritis to be physi- • The percent of adults limited by arthri- wish to purchase new books, go to your local cally active and to strive for a healthier tis has increased by about 20% since bookstore or look on amazon.com. Many weight to ease joint pain. 2002. The everyday activities of 24 of the classic Disney Little Golden Books • Recommend patients attend proven million adults are limited by it, such are available for younger children. educational programs about managing as holding a cup, lifting a grocery bag, Some communities have special events their condition. or walking to a car. such as the third annual “El Dia de los • Ask patients about any depression or • More than 1 in 4 adults with arthritis Ninos” which was held May 8, 2016 in anxiety, and offer care, treatment, and report severe joint pain. Aurora. The event was presented by Aurora’s links to services. • Adults with arthritis are more than Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board in part- • Consult the guidelines of the Ameri- twice as likely as adults without arthritis nership with the Aurora Public Library and can College of Rheumatology or other to report an injury related to a fall. Aurora, Oswego, and Indian Prairie school professional organizations for treat- • Working-age adults with arthritis have districts. Adrienne Holloway, advisory board ment options, including medicines. lower employment than those without chairman, explained, “We try to give a book http://bit.ly/2m8Ocfb arthritis. to every child, and based on that metric, we

Continues on page 4 Continues on page 4 3 American Home Health Newsletter | March 2017 Arthritis in America Nursing Talk Continued from page 3 Continued from page 3 Arthritis makes it harder to man- • Recommend patients attend proven get anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000 children age heart disease, diabetes or educational programs about managing at this event—and with adults, our atten- obesity. their condition. dance is usually at least 7,000.” • About half of adults with heart disease • Ask patients about any depression or The books were purchased by West Aurora (49%) or diabetes (47%) have arthritis, anxiety, and offer care, treatment, and School District 129, East Aurora School Dis- as do one-third (31%) of those who links to services. trict 131, Indian Prairie School District 204, are obese. • Consult the guidelines of the American and Oswego School District 308. Therese • About half the adults with arthritis who College of Rheumatology or other pro- Ulrich, Director of English Learners for Dis- also have heart disease, diabetes or obe- fessional organizations for treatment trict 308, said the total cost among all four sity, have some limitation of their nor- options, including medicines. http:// participating districts to buy the books was mal activities because of their arthritis. bit.ly/2m8Ocfb. $7,000. Last year the event also included • Physical activity helps manage all these Adults with arthritis can music by Sones de Mexico, a bouncing conditions. • Learn proven actions to deal with pain, house, hands-on experience for children with • Increased pain, fear of pain, and lack fatigue, anxiety and depression. authentic Mexican instruments, and music of knowledge of safe forms of physical • Be physically active (like walking, presented by a children’s choir. activity can make it harder for people swimming, or biking) to help main- In 1995, Dolly Parton, Country and with arthritis to be physically active. tain and improve strength, flexibility, Western singer, established a literacy program, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. What Can Be Done? and endurance. • Adopt healthy eating habits and lose A part of the Dollywood Foundation, the The Federal government is weight, if necessary. Dolly Parton Imagination Library mails one book per month to each child enrolled • Supporting national organizations and • Attend educational programs to gain from the time of their birth until they enter programs at local parks and recreation confidence and skills on managing kindergarten. Currently over 1,600 com- areas, community and senior centers, arthritis. munities provide the Imagination Library to healthcare facilities, and YMCAs to • Use medications correctly under a over 1,000,000 children each month across help adults better manage their ar- healthcare provider’s care. the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Austra- thritis. State officials and community lia. The program has distributed more than • Supporting proven physical activity 80,000,000 free books to children. A num- and educational programs through leaders can ber of counties in Illinois are included in the state health departments, health and • Promote physical activity and disease service area. Unfortunately, Cook County is human service agencies, and commu- management educational programs to not currently one of them. nity organizations. adults with arthritis through public If you are able to give a book, new or used, • Funding home and community-based health departments, parks and recre- to your client on a regular basis, you could services that help people with arthritis ation agencies, and community and make a tremendous difference in the child’s and other chronic diseases maintain senior centers. life. You could develop in that child a joy of and improve their health and inde- • Support improvements for more walk- reading and help the child start her own little pendence. able community areas to increase op- library. You might even be called “The Book • Providing toolkits and resource ma- portunities for physical activity. Lady,” a name you would surely cherish. terials for organizations delivering • Create a system for healthcare provid- community-based physical activity ers and adults with arthritis to locate and educational programs for those community-based programs. with chronic diseases. • Conduct communications campaigns • Providing courses, guidance, and de- to promote physical activity or educa- cision-making tools to primary care tional programs. physicians to support patients’ ability Cassandra to manage their own condition. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/arthritis/index.html We invite you to submit questions for this • Collecting data on arthritis in the US column. E-mail: [email protected] and conducting prevention and bio- medical research to guide public health AHHC Newsletter activities related to arthritis. Editor(s): Edward Lara Designer(s): Edward Lara Contributions: Healthcare providers can Edward Lara & Karen Centowski • Urge patients with arthritis to be physically active and to strive for a healthier For Contributions, weight to ease joint pain. E-Mail: [email protected] Write: 1660 N. Farnsworth Ave., Suite 3 Continues on page 5 Aurora • IL • 60505 4 American Home Health Newsletter | March 2017 ARTHRITIS will INCREASE as the population grows and ages Diagnosed and future projections

78.4 80 75.1 71.5 70 67.2 62.7

60 54.4 52.5 49.9 50 46.4

30 People (Millions) People

0 20042004 20052008 20102011 20152014 20202020 20252025 20302030 20352035 20402040 Diagnosed Projected

Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2013-2015

5 March 2017 | American Home Health Newsletter SPRING BREAK

Spring break is coming up, followed quickly by summer. • Use sunscreen. Be sure to pick one with at Spending time outdoors after a long winter requires at- least a SPF of 30. For children 6 months old tention to sun exposure. Here are a few tips to minimize and under, it is best to keep them out of direct sunburn during outdoor activities: sunlight. Be careful when applying sunscreen to the face, avoiding getting any too close to • Dress in lightweight clothes that cover the eyes. Be sure to re-apply sunscreen every 2 body, minimizing sun exposure hours and after swimming. • Wear a wide-brimmed hat that covers the face, Don’t forget to stay hydrated while playing outdoors. ears and back of neck Have fun and stay safe! • Limit time outside between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM; this is when the sun is at its hottest!

6 American Home Health Newsletter | March 2017