January Newsletter

Realistic Resolutions

Many people begin the New Year by setting resolutions. Losing weight and saving money are two of the most popular. Many people start out full steam ahead but by the end of the first few weeks have fallen off the wagon. This is because often the goals people set are too lofty. Here are some tips for setting realistic resolutions, and sticking to them all year long:

Start small. These are your goals, so while it’s important to raise the bar don’t raise it too high. Better to achieve your goal earlier than feel stressed out because you can’t do it.
Set a specific goal such as “lose 10 pounds” or “save $25 per paycheck” rather than ambiguous ones like “lose weight” or “save money”.
Make a plan. Devise a regular routine instead of trying to do it all in one day. Incorporate specific activities that contribute to your goal into your daily, weekly or monthly routines.
Define why you want to accomplish your goal. If you don’t have a reason, it is harder to encourage yourself to go through with it.
Share your goals with an accountability partner. Choose someone who will encourage and support you without nagging or criticizing you.

Look forward toward a phenomenal year but don’t forget to look back on 2011 and recall all the fantastic things you’ve accomplished. They might not have been on a list, or even planned, however, don’t short change your greatness!

December Newsletter

Seasonal Depression Awareness Month

What to do About the Holiday Blues???

‘Tis the season to be depressed. Every year as fall begins to turn to winter, many people notice a distinctive change in the amount of daylight, and many people sense a feeling of depression as the days grow shorter. The holidays kick-in at the same time of year, and for this reason, December has been named Seasonal Depression Awareness Month.

A lot has been written about "holiday blues," and certainly the holidays bring back negative memories for many. More than any other time of year there is an emphasis on families. If you grew up in an alcoholic family, an abusive family, or a neglectful family the trappings of the season may remind you of what it was like growing-up. Seasonal depression is sometimes hard to diagnose because it kicks-in at the same time of year.

Many experts believe that many more people suffer from "subclinical SAD" - that they get more sad and lethargic in the winter, but not actually depressed. The treatments used for SAD may be helpful for these people too. The most important factor in seasonal depression seems to be day length. Some research suggests that the brain may produce less serotonin in some people during short days.

The professionals tell us that when the symptoms get serious enough to affect your life, you may be afflicted with SAD. People with SAD tend to experience some of the following symptoms:

Desire to sleep more
Overeating
Withdrawing from social activities
Feeling anxious
Being unusually irritable
Feeling a lack of energy
Headaches
Craving of sweets
Loss of desire for physical activity
Weight gain

What To Do if You Think SAD is an Issue

First, if you think you or someone in your family is experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder, you may want to consult your family physician or mental health provider. Your health professional will want to ask a number of questions to identify SAD and rule out other causes of the symptoms.

Your physician may want you to try using a light box, which tends to have beneficial effects on about 75% of SAD patients. Spending 15-120 minutes per day in front of the light box can make a big difference.

Antidepressant drug therapy may be prescribed by your doctor if serotonin levels are really low. Make sure if you take antidepressants that you follow your doctor's instructions explicitly to be safe.

Psychotherapy may also help. Sometimes talking with a counselor or social worker can help you focus on changing behaviors that contribute to SAD.

Daily exercise outdoors is one inexpensive way of self treating SAD. The fresh air, exposure to daylight and the endorphins you release through exercise can have a major positive effect on SAD sufferers. A 30-60 minute daily regimen has many positive health effects.

Paying attention to the behavior of your family members can help you recognize the symptoms and effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder. When you see symptoms like these that cause you concern, get help and work with your loved one to get additional daylight and exercise.

For more information regarding Seasonal Affective Disorder, please visit:

http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/depression/a/seasonal.htm

November Newsletter

National Family Caregivers Month

Every November the President of the United States proclaims November to be National Family Caregivers Month (NFC Month). It is designated as a time every year to thank, support, educate and celebrate more than 50 million family caregivers across the country currently providing an estimated $306 billion in "free" caregiving services.

This year NFC Month will focus on family caregivers speaking up for their rights. This is an opportunity to advocate for stronger public policy addressing family caregiving issues and raise awareness about community programs supporting family caregivers. This is also a time to focus on encouraging family caregivers to always...

Believe in Yourself.
Protect Your Health.
Reach Out for Help.
Speak Up for Your Rights.

BELIEVE in Yourself – and Take Charge of Your Life

Family caregiving is about a relationship between many people. Choosing to take charge of your life means you recognize that you are only one member of the caregiving team. Making active choices in your own best interests is not selfish; rather it is often the most important choice you can make for your entire family.

As we travel through life one thing is for certain we will meet head-on with "life changes." It is said, "Life happens while we are busy making plans." We can try resisting change; however change is our constant traveling companion - and sometimes an unwelcome guest.

Unexpected changes tend to unnerve us and make us feel uncomfortable - it's like traveling through uncharted waters without a compass. At times change can make no sense - it either comes on too quickly or evolves too slowly. As we travel between life changes it is the unfamiliar road in between when one route ends and a new route begins when we feel the most uncomfortable.

Becoming a family caregiver is one of those life changes which can occur suddenly and without warning, or it can evolve slowly over time. However, regardless of the events which place us in the caregiving role, it is the unfamiliarity of the uncharted waters which cause us the most distress. If we choose to constantly fight change we will struggle our entire lives. We need to find a way to embrace these changes or at the least accept them.

It’s All In The Attitude

Attitude impacts action. Our inner thoughts propel our outward actions. Sometimes the way we approach any given situation is based upon our perspective of it. We can ignore the rainbow after the rainstorm or choose to bask in all its luminous glory.

Protect Your Health

The Best Present You Can Give Your Loved One: Your Own Good Health

As Caregivers, everyone is telling us to take responsibility for our own health. We hear it on TV and read it in magazines. Prevention is the message of the day.

Unfortunately, family caregivers as a rule do not always do a good job of taking care of themselves. We are always putting our loved one’s health and well being first. After that there is not much time or energy left for ourselves.

The research is clear! The extreme stress that many family caregivers experience has been shown to affect our immune systems making us more prone to chronic illnesses ourselves. It can cause premature aging and in some cases result in premature death.

ü If you are run down, tiring more than usual, will you be able to provide good care?

ü If you have a cold or the flu, will your loved one catch it from you?

ü If you become depressed will you be able to make good decisions, will life become unbearable?

ü If you are not well, who will fill your shoes, whether temporarily or permanently?

These are not questions to be taken lightly. Your own good health is the best present you can provide to the person you care for.

As caregivers it is important we recognize and not ignore the physical and emotional symptoms which may impact our own health and well being. We need to guard against caregiver burnout and avoid becoming overly tired and exhausted which can reduce our own body’s ability to ward off illness.

It is important to remember to create balance between caring for others and caring for ourselves. But how? You begin by believing – truly believing – that protecting your health is an absolutely critical thing to do for yourself and your loved one. You may not be able to do this easily, especially if guilt tends to get in your way; but, it is vital that you try.

Reach Out For Help

In family caregiving circles we hear a lot about the word support. Family caregivers regularly seek supportive relationships with other family caregivers. What support does not do however, is change the circumstances under which we are living. It does not relieve us from some of our caregiving responsibilities. That’s the work of a different word — and that word is: HELP.

Providing help is something that family caregivers do every day. Often times we want to handle all caregiving chores in an effort to make things happen. Sometimes we view constant activity as a sign of strength and passivity as a sign of weakness. Often times the reverse is true. We need to learn how to define the help we need and then to ask for help.

If we are constantly struggling, perhaps the universe is trying to tell us something. We have the right and the obligation, to ourselves, to reach out and seek help. Help can come in many forms such as:

ü Others pitching in and taking over simple chores.

ü Employers willing to work with you in balancing responsibilities and work schedules.

ü Acquiring educational materials to help you make sound decisions.

Researchers believe that only 2% of caregiving employees actually utilize the programs that are available to them and it is critically important to find out why. It is not a simple question. Part of the answer may lie in the nature of most of the programs being offered and part may be related to the psychology of what it means to be a family caregiver. If you are a family caregiver in the work place, try to reach out to the help that may be there waiting for you.

Some tasks are easier to ask for help with than others:

ü Running errands

ü Household chores

ü Providing occasional meals

ü Carpooling of young children and/or babysitting

Don’t Forget Emotional Help

Whether you seek out an organized support group, speak to your religious leader, or turn to trusted family member or friend, we all need someone to talk to. To do this, first be honest with yourself and be willing to share your hopes and fears. Sharing ideas enables you to receive feedback and often that can give you clarity and solutions to a given problem. Talking about your fears and insecurities or your hopes and dreams can strengthen troubleshooting skills and create constructive goals giving hope for the future. For some this may be difficult, but the rewards of sharing and conversation can be invaluable.

Speak Up For Your Rights

What does it mean to be an advocate? Being an advocate is a person who supports rights on behalf of another. One of the most important attributes on being an advocate for your loved one is the willingness and the ability to speak up and keep you eye on the ultimate goal which is protecting the health and safety of you and your family. In the world of medicine it is particularly important for all of us to become as educated as possible about how the system works and therefore be in a position to get the best care possible.

It would be nice if there was an indisputable instruction manual for family caregivers to follow but since each family’s situation is unique a “one size fits all” approach just doesn’t work. On the job training tends to go with the territory of family caregiving and it often takes a great deal of time and energy to navigate through the sometimes complicated medical care labyrinth. However, it can be manageable.

NFCA encourages family caregivers to become effect advocates for our loved ones as well as ourselves as one of the first steps to making our lives more manageable. We need to become empowered, proactive, creative, and resourceful in acquiring the information and the help we need.

Please visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org for more detailed information regarding:

ü Caregiving Resources

ü Connecting Caregivers

ü Proactive Caregiving

ü Volunteer Networks

ü New Initiatives (ways to become involved)

ü Donations

November Newsletter

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Each year it is estimated that nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. Approximately 1,700 men will also be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year. The evaluation of men with breast masses is similar to that in women, including mammography.

If you're worried about developing breast cancer, or if you know someone who has been diagnosed with the disease, one way to deal with your concerns is to get as much information as possible. In this section you'll find important background information about what breast cancer is and how it develops.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that grows in one or both of the breasts. Breast cancer usually develops in the ducts or lobules, also known as the milk-producing areas of the breast.

Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women (after skin cancer) and is the second leading cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer). Although African-American women have a slightly lower incidence of breast cancer after age 40 than Caucasian women, they have a slightly higher incidence rate of breast cancer before age 40. However, African-American women are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age. Breast cancer is much less common in males; by comparison, the disease is about 100 times more common among women.

Types of Breast Cancer

There are several different types of breast cancer that can be divided into two main categories - noninvasive cancers and invasive cancers. Noninvasive cancer may also be called "carcinoma in situ." Noninvasive breast cancers are confined to the ducts or lobules and they do not spread to surrounding tissues. The two types of noninvasive breast cancers are ductal carcinoma in situ (referred to as DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (referred to as LCIS).

It is known that hormones in a woman's body, such as estrogen and progesterone, can play a role in the development of breast cancer. In breast cancer, estrogen causes a doubling of cancer cells every 36 hours. The growing tumor needs to increase its blood supply to provide food and oxygen. Progesterone seems to cause stromal cells (the woman's own cells to send out signals for more blood supply to feed the tumor. (Source: Dr. V. Craig Jordan, vice president and scientific director for the medical science division at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia as quoted in NY Times, Hormones And Cancer: By Gina Kolata, Published: December 26, 2006)

Non-invasive breast cancer. The majority of non-invasive breast cancers are DCIS. In DCIS, the cancer cells are found only in the milk duct of the breast. If DCIS is not treated, it may progress to invasive cancer.

In LCIS, the abnormal cells are found only in the lobules of the breast. Unlike DCIS, LCIS is not considered to be a cancer. It is more like a warning sign of increased risk of developing an invasive breast cancer in the same or opposite breast. While LCIS is a risk factor for invasive cancer, it doesn't actually develop into invasive breast cancer in many women.
Invasive breast cancer. Invasive or infiltrating breast cancers penetrate through normal breast tissue (such as the ducts and lobules) and invade surrounding areas. They are more serious than noninvasive cancers because they can spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs, and brain.

There are several kinds of invasive breast cancers. The most common type is invasive ductal carcinoma, which appears in the ducts and accounts for about 80 percent of all breast cancer cases. There are differences in the various types of invasive breast cancer, but the treatment options are similar for all of them.

Not All Breast Cancers Are Alike

Not all breast cancers are alike - there are different stages of breast cancer based on the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread. For doctor and patient, knowing the stage of breast cancer is the most important factor in choosing among treatment options. Doctors use a physical exam, biopsy, and other tests to determine breast cancer stage.

Stages of Breast Cancer

The most common system used to describe the stages of breast cancer is the AJCC/TNM (American Joint Committee on Cancer/Tumor-Nodes-Metastases) system. This system takes into account the tumor size and spread, whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, and whether it has spread to distant organs (metastasis).

All of this information is then combined in a process called stage grouping. The stage is expressed as a Roman numeral. After stage 0 (carcinoma in situ), the other stages are I through IV (1-4). Some of the stages are further sub-divided using the letters A, B, and C. In general, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, such as stage IV (4), means a more advanced cancer.

These are the stages of breast cancer:

Stage 0 - Stage 0 is carcinoma in situ, early stage cancer that is confined to the ducts or the lobules, depending on where it started. It has not gone into the tissues in the breast nor spread to other organs in the body.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This is the most common type of noninvasive breast cancer, when abnormal cells are in the lining of a duct. DCIS is also called intraductal carcinoma. DCIS sometimes becomes invasive cancer if not treated.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): This condition begins in the milk-making glands but does not go through the wall of the lobules. LCIS seldom becomes invasive cancer; however, having LCIS in one breast increases the risk of cancer for both breasts.

Stage I - Stage I is an early stage of invasive breast cancer. In Stage I, cancer cells have not spread beyond the breast and the tumor is no more than 2 centimeters (three-quarters of an inch) across.

Stage II - Stage II is one of the following:

The tumor in the breast is no more than 2 centimeters (three-quarters of an inch) across. The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.
The tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters (three-quarters of an inch to 2 inches). The cancer may have spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.
The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters (2 inches). The cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.

Stage III - Stage III may be a large tumor, but the cancer has not spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes. It is locally advanced cancer.

Stage IIIA - Stage IIIA is one of the following:

The tumor in the breast is smaller than 5 centimeters (2 inches). The cancer has spread to underarm lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures.
The tumor is more than 5 centimeters across. The cancer has spread to the underarm lymph nodes.

Stage IIIB - Stage IIIB is one of the following:

The tumor has grown into the chest wall or the skin of the breast.
The cancer has spread to lymph nodes behind the breastbone.
Inflammatory breast cancer [insert link to page on inflammatory breast cancer] is a rare type of Stage IIIB breast cancer. The breast looks red and swollen because cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast.

Stage IIIC - Stage IIIC is a tumor of any size. It has spread in one of the following ways:

The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes behind the breastbone and under the arm.
The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under or above the collarbone.

Stage IV - Stage IV is distant metastatic cancer. The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Recurrent cancer - Recurrent cancer is cancer that has come back (recurred) after a period of time when it could not be detected. It may recur locally in the breast or chest wall as another primary cancer, or it may recur in any other part of the body, such as the bone, liver, or lungs, which is generally referred to as metastatic cancer.

For more information, free resources, and opportunities to donate towards finding a cure, please visit:
www.nationalbreastcancer.org
www.komen.org

September Newsletter

Work/Life Balance

As long as you're working, juggling the demands of career and personal life will probably be an ongoing challenge. Use these ideas from the Mayo Clinic to help you find the work-life balance that's best for you:

Track your time. Track everything you do for one week, including work-related and personal activities. Decide what's necessary and what satisfies you the most. Cut or delegate activities you don't enjoy or can't handle — or share your concerns and possible solutions with your employer or others.
Take advantage of your options. Ask your employer about flex hours, a compressed workweek, job sharing, telecommuting or other scheduling flexibility. The more control you have over your hours, the less stressed you're likely to be.
Learn to say no. Whether it's a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child's teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it's OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you do only out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you'll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.
Leave work at work. With the technology to connect to anyone at any time from virtually anywhere, there may be no boundary between work and home — unless you create it. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When you're with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.
Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently, such as running errands in batches or doing a load of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off. Put family events on a weekly family calendar and keep a daily to-do list. Do what needs to be done and let the rest go. Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. Take notes if necessary.
Bolster your support system. At work, join forces with co-workers who can cover for you — and vice versa — when family conflicts arise. At home, enlist trusted friends and loved ones to pitch in with child care or household responsibilities when you need to work overtime or travel.
Nurture yourself. Eat healthy foods, include physical activity in your daily routine and get enough sleep. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as practicing yoga or reading. Better yet, discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends — such as hiking, dancing or taking cooking classes.
Know when to ask for help. Everyone needs help from time to time. If you feel like work/life balance is somethig out of your control we are here to help! Contact one of the many counselors at Henderson Consulting & EAP Services who can spend some time getting to know your individual situation and to set boundaries and priorities. To contact a counselor at 719-380-1644.

August Newsletter

Back to School

Back to school time often means changes for children and families: the first day of kindergarten or first grade; new preschools or child care settings; new classrooms and new teachers. Making smooth transitions between home, programs and schools can help children feel good about themselves and teach them to trust other adults and children. Helping children adapt to new situations can ease parents’ minds and give them a chance to become involved in their children's education.

Transitions are exciting opportunities for children to learn and grow. Parents and early childhood professionals share a role in making chil-dren feel safe and secure as they move to new educational settings. Of course, such milestones in children's lives can cause anxiety, too. Strengthening the ties between programs and families will help create smooth transitions for adults and children both.

How parents can help:

Be enthusiastic about the upcoming change. If you are excited and confident, your child will be, too.
Prepare yourself. Take note of how your child reacts to separation. If possible, visit the new setting with your child. Introduce your child to the new teacher or early childhood professional in advance.
Arrange a playdate with another child from the program, preferably one-on-one, so that your child will see a familiar face when she walks in.
Start daily routines that will add to continuity. Let your child become involved with packing lunch or laying out clothes. Also, begin an earlier bedtime several weeks before.
Put aside extra time, particularly on the first day, for chatting and commuting together. But remember not to prolong the good-bye. If the child whines or clings, staying will only make it harder.
Always say good-bye to your child. Be firm, but friendly about separating. Never ridicule a child for crying. Instead, make supportive statements like, "it's hard to say good-bye."
At the end of the work day, put aside your concerns and focus on being a parent.

How teachers or early childhood professionals can help:

Make sure activities are developmentally appropriate for children. Interesting and challenging, but doable, activities will help children feel comfortable in their new setting.
Make an effort to get to know each individual child as quickly as possible. Parents can provide information about children's likes, dislikes, and special interests.
Welcome suggestions from families, particularly those of children with special needs. Parents can offer specific suggestions they have found useful for their own child, and advise on classroom set-up and modifications.
Hold an orientation for children and parents. Small groups will make it easier for children to get to know each other.
Show children around the new school or program, introducing them to other adults who are there to help them become acclimated.
Create partnerships between pre-schools and elementary schools in the community. Meetings may focus on the sharing of ideas and concerns.
Set up an area for photos of parents and family members that children may "visit" throughout the day. Also include items that reflect the cultural experience of all children to help promote a sense of mutual respect and understanding. Children, just like adults, need time to adjust to new people and situations. Experience can make transition a bit easier, but even with experience, change can still be stressful. Patience and understanding on the part of parents and teachers or caregivers will help children learn how to approach new situations with confidence -- a skill that will help them make successful transitions all through life.

July Newsletter

Recovery from Substance Abuse

This is a subject that creates lots of opinions. Numerous 12-step programs exist to help someone seeking to recover. I will list those programs and also a self scoring quiz to help identify whether you may need help in this area. Henderson Consulting can provide additional insight in this area. If you have any doubt or questions, call today to get an answer.

This is a list of 12-step programs:

Alcoholics Anonymous
Cocaine Anonymous
Crystal Neth Anonymous
Marijuana Anonymous
Narconon
Nar-Anon
Narcotics Anonymous
Nicotine Anonymous

Now the self scoring quiz

Do I Have a Substance Abuse Problem?
This short questionnaire is designed to help identify symptoms and warning signs of a current or potential problem with alcohol or other drugs (note: “Drug” refers to any mood-altering substance, including prescription medication). Please read each statement, recording the indicated numeric score for your true or false response.

1. My use of alcohol or other drugs has increased over the past year.