by Guest | Oct 28, 2017 | Being Well
By J.R. Becraft, MPH and Michelle Jenck, M.Ed.
Want to find freedom from nicotine and tobacco products? For many it’s a tough challenge. The basics of behavior change are similar for most people. It helps to begin by identifying where we are in the “Stages of Change” to determine what our next steps might be.
Pre-Contemplation: Are we simply not ready to quit, “pre-contemplating” the choice? Are we unaware that we need to change behaviors to protect those around us and live a longer and higher quality life?
Contemplation: Are we beginning to recognize that we want or need to make a major change in our life? Are we contemplating the pros and cons of quitting? Are we exploring why we want to quit along with the barriers that make it hard to take action?
Preparation: Are we really ready to change? Are we mapping out the positive small steps toward the new desired behavior? Do we see ourselves being successful in making that change? Have we set a date? Have we identified resources within and outside of ourselves? Do we have a plan for dealing with setbacks including treating ourselves with the same compassion we would offer to a friend?
Action: Are we taking specific actions right now? Did we quit, even if only for a little while? Are we redesigning our routine and our environment to avoid using tobacco? Have we begun to adopt new habits to help reduce stress and avoid triggers?
Maintenance: Once we have made changes, what are we doing to assure we stick to them? Can we succeed step by step—according to a simple, careful plan? Will we seek the resources within and without to succeed long-term? Are we able to view setbacks as just that and get right back on track?
Success: Are we stable in our new behaviors? Have our new habits become automatic and have our old ones fallen away?
For resources and information:
- Call 1 800 QUIT NOW
- Insurance is required to cover tobacco cessation support. Your doctor or mental health provider and pharmacist all have tools and counsel to help.
- Friends and family can provide vital encouragement.
- Across Oregon and in Tillamook County with its Year of Wellness, communities are becoming places where the healthy choices are the easy choices. Tobacco-free zones will help you on the path to freedom.
by Guest | Sep 2, 2017 | Being Well
By DeAnna Pearl, MAT, BS, CPS, SOS Tillamook Prevention Program Specialist
For anyone who’s been looking for a good reason to treat yourself consider this: You probably don’t do it often enough, and putting “me time” on the back burner is a big part of why we can all feel run-down, frenzied, and overwhelmed. Self-care, to the rescue!
What is Self-Care?
Self-care is care provided “for you, by you.” It’s about identifying your own needs and taking steps to meet them. It is taking the time to do some of the activities that nurture you. Self-care is about taking proper care of yourself and treating yourself as kindly as you treat others.
First Care for Yourself
On an airplane, an oxygen mask drops in front of you. What do you do? As we all know, the first rule is to put on your own oxygen mask before you assist anyone else. Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others. Caring for yourself is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It is also one of the easiest things to forget. But you benefit greatly from self-care and so do others in your life.
Since self-care is a very individual thing, there’s no set prescription for how or when to do it. That said, mental health professionals recommend taking at least 20 minutes a day to do something for ourselves, which seems pretty darn reasonable to us. Lost for ideas? Don’t fret. We’ve rounded up some sweet strategies that’ll help slash stress, boost happiness, and improve total health. Practice any of these self-care behaviors (or any others that occur to you!) daily, weekly, or even hourly—whatever feels best to you.
Why is Self-Care Important for Women?
Women spend much of their lives nurturing others. When we find ourselves focusing more on others than ourselves, we become worn out, stressed out and run down. For those of us who spend time helping and caring for others, it is too easy to neglect our own needs. It’s like “running on empty” when we don’t take the time to re-fuel. We spend so much time and effort caring for our partners, children, pets, friends, family members, employers and employees. Add to that the numerous volunteer activities, errands, housework, family functions, meetings, etc.—and there isn’t much time left for caring for ourselves.
Women need to balance the stress and activity of daily life with activities that bring a sense of peace and wellbeing to their minds and bodies. Women who neglect their own needs and forget to nurture themselves often become unhappy, have low self-esteem and feel resentment. Self-care means treating yourself as a worthwhile person and showing that you are valuable, competent and deserving.
Self-Care Strategies
We cannot take care of others, if we aren’t taking care of ourselves – include self-care into your daily routines with these helpful ideas:
- Take one thing at a time. •Solve little problems. •Be realistic. •Be flexible. •Adopt a positive attitude. •Avoid over-scheduling. •Learn to relax. • Treat your body well. •Adopt a healthy lifestyle. •Eat healthy food. •Exercise. •See your doctors regularly. •Get enough sleep as often as you can. • Take time off when you are sick. •Watch what you are thinking. • Share your feelings. •Talk about stress with friends and family. •Talk to a doctor, spiritual advisor, or other professional for help. •Learn to ask for help. • Be aware of your limitations. •Personalize your work and home environment.
- Take time for self-reflection. • Say “no.” •Limit your exposure to media (e.g., news stories, movies) that deals with sad, violent, or tragic themes.
by Guest | May 30, 2017 | Being Well
By Marge Jozsa, Chief Executive Officer, Rinehart Clinic and Pharmacy
We hear the phrase Emergency Preparedness often and it could mean any emergency storms, floods, wildfires, but much of the focus these days is on preparing for an earthquake and tsunami.
We all know we are at risk for a major earthquake and the inevitable resulting tsunami here in Oregon with the Cascadia Subduction Zone right off the coast throughout the Pacific Northwest. The good news is, we have great resources at our disposal to help us “Be Prepared, not Scared”. Active Emergency Volunteer Corps groups in both North and South County, and Tillamook County’s Emergency Management Office is a storehouse of information.
Rinehart Clinic is working with YOW and other community partners to present fun and FREE safety and emergency preparedness events throughout Tillamook County during the month of June. We hope you will join us at one (or more!) of these events:
Emergency Preparedness Fair (South County)
Saturday, June 10 – 10 am to Noon – Neskowin Fire Station 84, Hwy. 101 in Neskowin
Learn how to prepare for an emergency. Information on water filters, communications, go-bags, solar eclipse safety, a raffle prize, and more! Thank you to our community partners: South Tillamook County Emergency Volunteer Corps and Nestucca Rural Fire Protection District.
Solar Eclipse Safety Activity
Saturday, June 17 – 9 am to 2 pm Tillamook Farmers Market 2nd & Laurel in Tillamook
A rare and exciting event is coming to South Tillamook County when a Total Solar Eclipse makes a path across Oregon the morning of Monday, August 21! Staring directly at the sun can cause severe damage to your eyes, so we have a fun eclipse-viewing safety activity planned. Bring the family and stop by the Rinehart Clinic table on opening day of the Tillamook Farmers Market (Saturday, June 17) and we will have everything you need to make your own personal projector to safely view the eclipse. Plus, register for a raffle prize provided by our community partner, American Red Cross/Cascades Region.
Preparedness Info Fair (North County)
Saturday, June 24 – 10 am to Noon Nehalem Public Works Community Room (35900 8th Street – 1/2 block south of Hwy. 101)
Learn about wayfinding during an emergency evacuation, preparing physically, storing prescription medicines, and more. Thank you to our community partners: Emergency Volunteer Corps of Nehalem Bay and North County Recreation District.
Want to learn more about safety and emergency preparedness? Get involved in your local community’s Emergency Volunteer Corps or Community Emergency Response Team.
Check out these helpful resources for more information:
by Guest | May 13, 2017 | Being Well
By Janet Holboke, MSW, LCSW; Janet is the Older Adult Behavioral Health Specialist for Tillamook County and works for Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. She can be reached at jholboke@gobhi.net
May is Older Americans month and there is a lot to celebrate about growing older.
Susan Charles and Laura L Carstensen, in their article Social and Emotional Aging(Annu Rev Psychol; 2010, 61; 383-409), found that older adults tend to view life and relationships more positively than their younger peers.
Early in adulthood, we tend to seek out new friends and relationships, have broad social networks and experience intense emotional highs and lows. In our late 30’s, 40’s and beyond, our social networks start to narrow as we focus on the relationships that are the most meaningful and satisfying. Our emotional responses become more stable and predictable. We shift our priorities and tend to seek out important, pleasant activities while avoiding events that are distressing. We are better able to defuse an argument, avoid conflict and work to preserve goodwill. A focus on fewer, more satisfying relationships and social experiences may be why people generally view life more positively as they age.
Studies have also found that older adults tend to remember events less negatively and more positively as they age. Older adults report fewer regrets in life compared to younger people. Even when an older adult has two chronic health conditions, he or she has the same outlook on life as a younger, healthy adult.
The strong social networks formed by many older adults protect them from more than just loneliness. People who have a high level of social activity have fewer memory problems and may even recover more quickly from a serious health event such as a stroke. People who volunteer are even less likely to have problems with thinking and memory.
Undeniably, illness and disability, cognitive decline and/or the death of close friends and family can be a part of aging. For some, painful childhood experiences and long-term social and financial challenges may leave few options for meaningful social relationships in later life. Feeling useless, sad, nervous or depressed can happen for people enduring these life experiences. It is important to realize that these feelings are not a normal part of aging. Talking to a doctor, trusted friend or calling the Friendship Line at (800) 971-0016, can help.
Celebrate Older Americans month by appreciating the positive nature of older adults! Recognize their ability to connect in meaningful ways, focus on close relationships and their desire to ease conflict. Realize that older Americans contributed $75 Billion dollars worth of volunteer labor in 2015 (Corporation for National Community Service) and contribute to the quality of life in Tillamook County for all!
by Guest | Apr 22, 2017 | Being Well
Wednesday May 3 at 9 am – 11 am
North County Recreation District (NCRD) Theater
Health literacy happens when patients and health care providers truly understand each other. Learn about and share ways to more clearly and effectively communicate with your health care provider.
Who should attend? Patients, seniors, family members, healthcare providers, administrators, caregivers, nurses
FREE event – no registration required.
Join us for information about to more effectively talk with healthcare providers.
by Guest | Apr 22, 2017 | Being Well
by Heather White, Community Health Improvement Coordinator; Columbia Pacific CCO
Two of the most common questions asked during a visit with a health care provider:
“Do you understand?”
“Do you have any other questions?”
These standard questions are meant to give us as patients room to advocate for ourselves. Unfortunately, if you didn’t understand something or you do have questions, it can be hard to put them to words, especially if it’s the end of the visit and everyone is kind of in a rush to end the appointment. Ultimately, this can lead to your frustration and can even have negative effects on health. What if the thing you don’t quite understand is how and when you need to take a medication for your heart condition or diabetes? What if you weren’t quite satisfied with the answer to your question about what you can do to manage your pain aside from medications?
Or another scenario: You’re filling out all the forms at your provider’s office, and half the words are complete gibberish to you. Do you ask for help? Do you say you forgot your reading glasses even if they’re sitting in your purse? The forms are meant to help your provider narrow in on what you might need. For anyone who may not be familiar with medical terms, or who may struggle with reading, this can be more stressful than helpful in the moment.
These are just two examples of why health literacy is important.
Health literacy is defined as the degree to which a person has capacity to obtain, process, and understand health information and services needed to make health decisions. It is measured using a few very standard questionnaires, but the most commonly cited scale for measuring larger populations measures from “below basic” to “basic” to “intermediate” to “proficient” health literacy. Only 12% of adults have “proficient health literacy,” which really just means that nearly 90% of us do not have the understanding of medical terms needed to manage our health by ourselves. Two things to keep in mind based on that information:
First and foremost, there is zero shame in struggling with medical terms. You’re not alone if you do-in fact, you’re part of the majority. And if you’re among the14% of adults who have “below basic health literacy,” that’s still nearly 30 million people. It is very possible to be your own advocate by learning more terms, but also by asking lots of questions and being prepared for your visits.
Education, age, ethnicity, first language, annual salary, and health status are all factors that can add up to either poor or good health literacy, but having lots of education and money alone don’t make a person health literate. I’ve met people with PhDs working at universities who have to ask extra questions about what certain words mean or what those words mean for their health. I’ve met people who make a fair amount of money who have the same struggles. I have also met people who live on very little means and have maybe a GED but over time (and often out of need) are experts with health terms.
It is also important to remember that health is also very cultural. Some people in the United States were raised calling diabetes “sugar.” There are cultures that believe that epilepsy, a brain condition that leads to seizures and other health complications, is a spiritual gift rather than a health condition. Medical terms also change over time, so older adults or even professionals who went to school over 15 years ago may or may not be familiar with terms like “substance use disorder” or other terms that have changed more recently. It would be unfair to assume that we all somehow end up with the same vocabulary and understanding of health. Health literacy is important for our health and our relationships with our providers, but as with everything, it is an ever changing and complex issue.
So what can I do?
The best tip I can give anyone who struggles with medical terms is to prepare, prepare, prepare. Pre-write your questions and concerns, even if they don’t seem related to each other. Bring someone with you if you struggle with memory or so that you have someone to check your understanding with later. Bring all your prescriptions with you to an appointment. If you can’t ask your provider about your medications during the appointment, ask your pharmacist. Always ask if something is covered by your insurance before setting it up so you don’t get surprised later. Your provider is there to help you be as healthy as you can be.
The best tip I can give to providers, is to ask open-ended questions and assume people won’t understand medical terms. Ask your patients to repeat what you’ve told them in their own words rather than if they understand or have questions. Ask them what their plan is for implementing the directions you gave them. Most importantly, don’t assume that someone understands medical terms, no matter how they appear or if you know they are educated or well off. Every person has a different range of health education, and different places use different words. Meeting your patients where they are on health literacy makes it more likely that they can leave your office confident in their ability to follow advice, take their medications, and will greatly increase not only their overall experience, but yours as well.
