PARTNERS IN HEALTH WINTER News for Faith Community Nurses. Dear Friends,

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1 News for Faith Community Nurses WINTER 2011 PARTNERS IN HEALTH In this Issue: Congregational Inspirations Member news 2 Empowering and Equipping 24th Westberg symposium 3 Health News You Can Use Plan Ahead to ensure successful Aging 4 Living Well With Chronic Conditions 5 Book Review the DeMarco Factor 6 Dear Friends, Greetings as we wish you a happy and healthy new year. This issue of Partners in Health focuses on healthy aging. The articles Plan Ahead to Ensure Successful Aging and Living Well With Chronic Conditions offer resources for wellness and better planning. At Holy Cross Hospital, the Faith Community Nurse Program and Community Health department have partnered to teach chronic disease self-management courses since We offer both participant and lay-leader courses. This past November, 18 persons attended, which is the largest lay-leader class since we started offering the chronic disease self-management courses. Leaders are trained to facilitate the six-week living-well program for adults living with chronic disease. A wide variety of people have enthusiastically reported how valuable this course is to the community and the personal lives of participants. Anyone can be a lay-leader. In fact, the most desired is a person who has a chronic disease. The winter series of classes for participants with chronic disease begins this month. The course is offered to the community free of charge. Please consider recommending this course to parishioners with chronic disease who could benefit from improving self-care. The upcoming dates, locations and registration information can be found on Page 5. Correction from the fall 2010 issue: The upcoming Spring Education Day will be held May 13. The title of the program this year is Hope: Revisiting the Soul of Faith Community Nursing. Mark your calendar today and share the date with other health ministry team members. Blessings for a wonderful new year, Resources senior source 6 Theological Reflection stepping Out Into nothing 7 Carmella Jones, RN , jonessc@holycrosshealth.org Susan Roach, RN , roachs@holycrosshealth.org Liz O Connor, RN , oconne@holycrosshealth.org BODY MIND SPIRIT Faith Community Nurse Program Integrating Faith & Health

2 Congregational Inspirations Faith Community Member News First Baptist Church of Laurel, Dorotea Gonzalez, FCn. The American Red Cross blood drives held in May and August registered 103 congregants total. In June, 50 members received health screenings which included blood pressure screenings by Laurel Hospital. Healthy Groove MD Physicians Care provided healthy cooking demonstrations, free food samples, music, giveaways and Nintendo Wii for children. The Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation offered glaucoma screenings. In September, approximately 250 adults and children participated in a festival where Laurel Hospital conducted blood pressure screenings and the Lions Club offered vision screenings. HIV testing also was available, and there were exhibits offering additional health-related information. saint Luke Lutheran Church, Ruth Manchester, FCn. Ruth attended the quarterly meeting of Faith United Against Tobacco, representing the International Parish Nurse Resource Center. This interfaith group works with legislators in enacting legislation that opposes the tobacco lobby. Accomplishments include making tobacco products more difficult to obtain; larger, clearer warnings on cigarette packages; and increasing tax on cigarettes. Ruth helped facilitate the church s annual Caring Ministries Retreat held on Nov. 3. The subject was hospitality; how we welcome friend and stranger alike into the family of God. The food pantry completed the Thanksgiving and Christmas basket distribution. About 50 to 60 individual or family groups are helped each holiday. st. Andrew Apostle Catholic Church, elizabeth O'Connor, Rn, FCn. This past fall, a blood drive was co-sponsored with Inova Blood Bank Services and a flu vaccine clinic with Maxim Health. Because of the poor economy, there have been many requests for assistance. Members of the Health Ministry have given freely of their time to assist those in need. In October, Prevention of Domestic Violence month, information with useful phone numbers and contacts was inserted in the bulletin. Booklets on these topics were available in the Care Note pamphlet rack and people were urged to take them in case they came across someone who needs that information. shiloh Baptist Church of Landover, Joycelyn P. Carter and Brenda Boyd, FCns. Pastor Louis Colleton and the Nurses Ministry presented two separate 90-minute bereavement sessions twice in November. The pastor discussed the grieving process and attendees had the opportunity to share their experiences with others who have been or are going through similar experiences. Members and guests were invited to attend. Christ Lutheran Church DC, Marty Jewett, Rn. The pastor, Renata Eustis, senior parishioners and the parish nurse started a biweekly Bible Study on Wednesdays with the residents of Manor Care Springhouse (22012 Colston Drive, Silver Spring) where two church members moved for assisted living. Powerful stories about meaningful baptisms and history of ancestors coming to America as slaves have proven inspirational for the participants. Parishioners learn about assisted living and experience increased socialization and connection with others. The shared stories of this passage of life, including health issues, are helpful for all. First united Methodist Church of Laurel, Becky Boeckman, FCn. The blood drive conducted on Aug. 30 collected 19 units, which will help save 57 lives. Becky attended the conference, Spirituality: Weaving Wholeness into Health Care, on Oct. 27 at Shenandoah University. The purpose of First United Methodist Church of Laurel states As believers in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and the Bible as the inspired word of God, we serve people as a reflection of the love of Jesus Christ. On Nov. 6, Priority Partners sponsored a food distribution event in collaboration with the Capital Area Food Bank for families and/or individuals in the community with low- to moderate-income levels. Members of the Page 2 Winter 2011

3 Legacy Society Honoree: Congratulations to Jeanne Nist congregation gathered at the church to distribute more than 15,000 pounds of fresh produce to 193 families. Several organizations in the community such as Reality House, LARS (Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services) and Sarah s House also were recipients of this abundant gift. The Blue Christmas Remembrance Service was held on Dec.12. This evening of solemn reflection and supportive fellowship, scripture, music and meditations focused on the comfort God offers during dark times. g Empowering and Equipping We are pleased to announce Jeanne Nist, RN, BSN, FCN, the founder and former manager of our Holy Cross Hospital Faith Community Nurse Program, was inducted into the Holy Cross Hospital Legacy Society in November. The Legacy Society honors individuals who have made a significant and lasting impact on Holy Cross Hospital through their leadership, talent, time or resources. Many faith community nurses, in roles of direct practice and leadership, remember the significant ways Jeanne contributed to the development of our ministries and fostered the growth of this professional specialty both regionally and nationally. Jeanne continues to nourish the spiritual foundation of faith community nurses actively involved in practice by offering guidance through theological reflection. She maintains an active ministry serving as the health coordinator for Saint Angela Hall in Kensington, Md. Empowering and Equipping 24th Westberg Symposium Thriving in a Changing World More than 400 participants took part in the 24th Westberg Symposium, which was held Sept. 17 to 19, 2010, in St. Charles, Mo. Participants joined the gathering in the spirit of health and wholeness and left re-energized with new tools and bolstered spirits to face the health care challenges of today and the future. The message of the conference was that parish nursing (FCN nursing) should thrive in challenging times because intentional spiritual care is the core. The development of collaboration and networking in times of limited resources and increasing needs was discussed. Strategies for the balance of personal and professional life through spirituality, growth and renewal also were emphasized. Friday included a pre-conference session titled Tending the Sacred Within, a Morning of Reflection for Coordinators. Research for a Changing World emphasized research in parish nursing and included interactive brainstorming sessions to begin the development of parish nurse research projects. Dr. Deborah Patterson, executive director, International Parish Nurse Resource Center in St. Louis, led a session on The Joy of Creating Devotionals: Develop Your Personal Toolbox. As always, she was a very good presenter. The Granger Westberg Memorial Lecture was given by Judy Siegle, BS, MSW. It was titled Living Without Limits in a Changing World. Judy is director of the Women s Ministry at Hope Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND. Judy shared her inspirational experience of growth after an accident left her a quadriplegic. The Helen Westberg Lecture, titled The Renewal of Spirit Burnout as a Gateway to Grace by Joan Borysenko, PhD, was excellent. She is the president of Mind-Body Health Sciences and is cofounder of Harvard s first Mind/Body Clinic. She is the author of 14 books on healing, spirituality and resilience. Joan s website is g The 25th Annual Westberg Parish Nurse Symposium will take place Sept. 16 to 18, 2011, at the Millennium Hotel in downtown St. Louis, Mo. Visit the International Parish Nurse Resource Center for more information on this exciting celebration of 25 years. Visit or call Page 3 Winter 2011

4 Health News You Can Use Plan Ahead to Ensure Successful Aging Did You Know? Research shows that people who engage in detailed planning about care needs in the event of a severe disability are much less likely to have to rely on a nursing home than those who do not have such discussions. Making important decisions during a crisis situation is not ideal. Yet older adults often find themselves in situations for which they are not prepared. Planning for the future whether for retirement or sudden illness can give you a sense of control. Some of the topics that experts recommend you think about and discuss in advance with your family include: housing. Consider how to make your current home safer, as well as where else you might choose to live if you become too disabled or frail to remain comfortably in your current home. The Guide to Retirement Living, available online and in print, provides information about senior housing choices of all kinds. Call or visit everyday activities. If you suddenly couldn t do certain things for yourself like bathing, dressing, paying bills, shopping or driving who would be able to assist you? Adult children are often willing to assist with chores and managing household activities, but are less comfortable with bathing, dressing or more intimate types of assistance. health care Decisions. As medical science advances, individuals must often answer the questions: If I become unable to make decisions for myself, who would decide for me? And, what life-prolonging medical interventions would I want and not want? It is important to have legal documents, called advance directives, which state your wishes. Advance directives do two things. First, they name the person whom you want to make decisions on your behalf if you cannot do so yourself. Second, they allow you to document health care instructions that will guide the people making decisions for you. Make sure your loved ones know your wishes and where to find key documents and information if needed. The Montgomery County Coalition on End-of-Life Care helps educate residents about advance directives. For information, go to The Holy Cross Hospital website also offers an English and Spanish version of the state of Maryland s advance directive form. Visit Finances. Decisions about the future often are influenced by one s financial situation. In addition to pensions and savings, it is important to be aware of other available resources and tools. A reverse mortgage is an option increasingly used by seniors with equity in their homes. Additionally, seniors should be aware of the full range of government benefits for which they may be eligible. The following websites provide helpful information: 4 Reverse Mortgages ( The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website can help you determine if a reverse mortgage is appropriate for you. 4 Benefits Checkup ( 4 Many people are unaware that they are eligible for government benefits. Developed by the National Council on Aging, this is the nation s most comprehensive Web-based service to screen for benefits programs for seniors with limited income and resources. It includes more than 1,550 public and private benefits programs from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Medicare Long-Term Care Planning ( This customized tool can help you understand what long-term care services you can expect to need, how much you can expect to pay for them and what financing options are available. g Article courtesy of Shawn Brennan, Senior Health Promotion Program, Montgomery County, Maryland Page 4 Winter 2011

5 192368_Newsletter_Layout 1 1/12/11 6:54 AM Page 5 Health HealthNews NewsYou YouCan CanUse Use Living Well With Chronic Conditions The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program is a two-and-a-half-hour workshop, once a week, for six weeks, in a community setting such as senior centers, hospitals and churches. The course was developed by the Stanford University Patient Education Center. It is a collaborative research project between Stanford and Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program. The course is built on several premises, such as the fact that people with chronic conditions have similar concerns and problems, and they must deal not only with their disease but also with the impact it has on their lives and emotions. Two trained leaders facilitate the workshops. It is the process in which the course is taught that makes it effective. Classes are highly participative, where mutual support and success build the participants confidence in their ability to manage their health and maintain active and fulfilling lives. Subjects covered include: 4 techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation 4 appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility and endurance 4 appropriate use of medications 4 communicating effectively with family, friends and health professionals 4 nutrition 4 how to evaluate new treatments The self-management program does not conflict with existing programs or treatment. It is designed to enhance regular treatment and disease-specific education programs. This course was evaluated in a randomized study involving more than 1,000 subjects in a five-year research project. The results indicated the people who took the program when compared with those who did not, improved their healthful behaviors (exercise, cognitive symptom management, coping and communications with physicians), improved their health status and decreased their days in the hospital. g Classes and locations: Revitz House 6111 Montrose Road Rockville, MD Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 18 to Feb. 22, 2011 Holy Cross Hospital Senior Source 8580 Second Avenue Silver Spring, MD Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1: 30 p.m. March 15 to April 19, 2011 Registration: Please call to register in advance. Information reprinted with permission from Stanford. Page 5 Winter 2011

6 Book Review The DeMarco Factor by Michael Pertschuk Book Review by Ruth Manchester, FCN, Saint Luke Lutheran Church, Silver Spring, MD If you have been involved in Maryland health issues you may have heard the name Vincent Vinny DeMarco. He spearheaded the HealthCare for All campaign. He also helped to eliminate tobacco usage in public places and raise the tobacco tax, and he worked nationally to get cigarette manufacturing and marketing under the control of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. How did Vinny accomplish these and other advocacy goals? Simple. By organizing like-minded citizens who believed in health care in the broadest sense. It s simple to tell people smoking is harmful. But what can I, one person, do in a broader sense? Early on, in the 1990s, Vinny was forming coalitions. But in the new millennia, it became clear to him that faith communities might be mobilized to join in the fight against big tobacco. Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims and Sikhs joined together with other advocacy groups in an effort to lobby state legislatures and Congress for laws regulating tobacco use and sale. One of these groups, parish nurses/faith community nurses (FCNs), gave a voice to the cause. In several chapters of the book, Pertschuk tells how we spoke out and mobilized others to advocate. In 2008, at the Westberg Symposium in St. Louis, Vinny spoke of his work. I was in the audience, listing and reliving the work we had done to help raise the tobacco tax in Maryland (in an effort, especially, to cut teen smoking) and render public spaces smoke-free. Public policy issues and advocacy work may not be how we see ourselves in our position. Yet we are our clients biggest advocates. If you read chapters 10 and 11, you will see how FCNs participated in the cause to promote a healthier America, free of tobacco s very unhealthy effects. For these actions, we are all better off. g Resources Holy Cross Hospital Senior Source Holy Cross Hospital Senior Source, located at 8580 Second Avenue, in revitalized downtown Silver Spring, Md., provides free or affordably priced physical activity, education and information opportunities for the health and wellness of adults 55 and older. The welcoming and friendly environment at the Senior Source inspires learning and creativity. Classes and activities are intellectually stimulating and designed to empower seniors to take charge of their health. Programs at the Senior Source are designed to provide participants with enjoyable learning experiences. A wide array of offerings, ranging from exercise classes to physician lectures and health seminars, are all designed to educate, inform and enhance the quality of life for participants. Chronic disease self-management and prevention programs such as diabetes education and prevention, heart failure and falls prevention are offered to help seniors cope with current health challenges and prevent the onset of chronic conditions. Special accommodations are available for those who are physically challenged. Fitness and bodywork classes build strength, increase endurance and improve flexibility. Specialized classes are held for those with specific medical conditions including arthritis, osteoporosis and Parkinson s disease. The instructors at Holy Cross Hospital Senior Source are experts in their fields and have extensive experience working with older adults. These highly trained instructors ensure exercise classes are safe and enjoyable for participants of all fitness levels. Participants also are encouraged to pursue their personal development through participation in discussion groups, defensive driving, the arts and other relevant topics. Support groups, health screenings and health intervention workshops help seniors cope with current health challenges and prevent complications of chronic conditions. To register for classes or for more information, call g Page 6 Winter 2011

7 Theological Reflection Stepping Out Into Nothing By Martha Sherman After months of prayer and pondering, listening for God and guidance, I made the decision to resign my job as office manager and finance director. Although the initial decision was personal, once it was made and the process of transition began, it also seemed clear that it would be good for the office to have a new voice in that role. So after nearly three years, I worked my last day as a full-time staff member. Now I have no day job, my house is being sold, and I have no idea what comes next. I definitely like the idea of being completely free, but I am learning that it is not familiar or culturally acceptable unless one is about 18 or 22 and in possession of a new degree of some sort; even then, the pressure to quickly and productively fit oneself into a slot is enormous. I am questioned constantly about what I am doing. In truth, some part of me regularly asks that question of myself. Periodically, a bit of worry does come up. But every time, I go back to how it all started and know that moving on felt very invited. All I have to do now is trust, stay open and empty, listen and wait, expectantly, without expectation, as Jerry May advises. Later, in a prayer session, the desire to sky-dive came up. Never before, not for one second of my previous 55 1/2 years, had I ever had a conscious thought about sky-diving. But, trusting that inspired thought (after all, I was praying), on August 3, I found myself getting strapped to an instructor and spending 20 minutes climbing to 10,000 feet to experience three minutes falling and floating back to the ground. Through it all, I had no feelings or thoughts of fear not even after signing the six separate disclaimers. But, there was one moment of hesitation as I realized it was going to take a very real intention and expenditure of effort to get my body out of the plane into the 120 mph wind that we were generating. Since I was strapped to the instructor and he was stronger than I and he was going, out I went. And in that one moment of uncertainty, as I reached my right leg and foot out onto a footrest in the clouds, came the thought: "I am stepping out into nothing absolutely nothing." In that moment of utter calm and purity, the whole universe was visible and clear, beautiful and available before me... Back on the ground, I recalled that moment and the moment of pure bliss that followed as we somersaulted backwards off the plane. In that moment of utter calm and purity, the whole universe was visible and clear, beautiful and available before me, and the second thought came to me: I stepped out into everything. So that is what this time is for me right now strapped to the instructor, I have stepped into nothing and I have stepped into everything. This time is filled with mystery and all possibilities. I am both excited and uncertain about everything. Right now, I am in a position to know it and live into it in a way that having a job can mask. And for all this the prayer, the trust, these right-now present moments of nothing and everything, the knowledge that I am still and always have been strapped to the instructor I can only thank God for leading me to my job and the beautiful souls I encountered there, the beautiful-soul-participants in every program, and the opening and expanding of my contemplative heart that has followed. g Martha is a graduate of Shalem s Personal Spiritual Deepening Program and a former Shalem staff person. Page 7 Winter 2011

8 1500 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD SPECIAL EVENTS Chronic Disease Management Lecture series Location: Holy Cross Hospital, Professional and Community Education Center, 1500 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, Maryland Lectures are held on the last Wednesday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 26 Diabetes Feb. 23 Chronic Disease Self-Management March 30 Cancer April 27 Arthritis Topics will include prevention and management of these diseases. Light refreshments will be served. Celebrate heart health Month Location: Holy Cross Hospital, Professional and Community Education Center, 1500 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, Maryland Saturday, Feb. 12 (snow date: Feb. 19) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration starts at 8 a.m. Join Holy Cross Hospital and the African American Health Program at the third annual Celebrate Heart Health Month event. Health information and blood pressure and cholesterol screenings will be available. Screenings will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Refreshments also will be provided. Visit to view a full listing of holy Cross hospital s special events. HEALTH CLASSES Holy Cross Hospital offers a wide range of classes throughout the year. Childbirth and parenting education; fitness and movement classes; health and wellness education; physical activity, education and information for seniors; diabetes education; CPR and first aid. For a listing or registration information, call or visit SuPPorT GrouPS Bariatric Surgery: Bereavement: Breast, Ovarian and Gynecological Cancer: Caregivers: Diabetes: Hematology: Look Good Feel Better (cosmetic makeovers for women with cancer): Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): Nixing Nicotine Staying Quit: Parkinson s Disease Caregivers: Perinatal Loss: Stroke Support: Survivors Offering Support (cancer): Thyroid Cancer (THYCA): Partners in Health is published by the Holy Cross Hospital Faith Community Nurse Program to assist faith community nurses and health ministry teams in educating, empowering and equipping members of their faith communities in pursuit of health, healing and wholeness. We encourage you to use the contents of this newsletter to support and strengthen your ministries so that together we may build healthier communities. When reproducing materials, please use the following credit line: Used by permission of the Holy Cross Hospital Faith Community Nurse Program. This newsletter is available for download at For more information about the Holy Cross Hospital Faith Community Nurse Program, please call