Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

September-October 2020, Vol. 5 Issue 6

REFLECTION:

"September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.

-  Rowland E. Robinson 

THE  COVID-19 PANDEMIC:
It has now been 6 months of living during a pandemic.  Everyone seems to be feeling the strain of months of life being altered in every direction.  Working from home, Zoom meetings, virtual church, once-a-week grocery shopping, take-out food orders, missed weddings, drive-by birthday parties, family-limited funerals.  Social distancing has taken away gatherings with family and friends, visits to gyms, exploring museums, summer trips.  Many of us have lost track of time and find ourselves wondering which day of the week it is.  The CDC offers tips for coping during the pandemic.  Here are some healthy ways to cope with stress. 

• Take care of your emotional health. Taking care of your emotional health will help you think clearly and react to the urgent needs to protect yourself and your family.
• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
• Take care of your body.

• Take deep breaths, stretch, or  meditate.
• Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
• Exercise regularly.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Avoid excessive alcohol and drug use.

• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
• Connect with your community or faith-based organizations. While social distancing measures are in place, consider connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.
  

Return to School: 
Parents and school leaders are very eager for schools to reopen, but understandably concerned about the health and safety of their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.   School officials should make decisions about school reopening based on available data including levels of community transmission and their capacity to implement appropriate mitigation measures in schools to protect students, teachers, administrators, and other staff. The CDC provides resources related  to Operating Schools During COVID-19. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that having children in school will only be safe when a community has the spread of the virus under control.   Their Healthy Children website has information about returning to school. 

Many school districts will continue to conduct distance learning this autumn.  Tips for parents to keep children focused, interested, and balanced while learning are offered by Common Sense Education.  USA Today also has posted tips for home teaching as well as return to school facilities during the pandemic.

Revisiting Use of Masks:
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, a key method of preventing spread of infection is the use of face masks. Education on masks can include the benefits of mask-wearing, proper use of masks, care/cleaning of masks, and disposal of paper masks. 

The American Medical Association has started a campaign called Mask Up: Stop the spread of COVID-19.  You can use the images from their campaign toolkit to share on social media. Here is one example:                                                                                   

Johns-Hopkins Medicine offers:

1. infographic on How to Properly Wear a Face Mask
2. how to care for purchased or hand-made masks 

Revisiting Handwashing:
Hand washing is a critical intervention in stopping the spread of infection.  The gold standard involves scrubbing your hands thoroughly with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds. Washing with soap is effective since the soap molecules make the insoluble viral molecules easily soluble in water and rinsed off of your hands and down your drain.   It takes time to clean all the surfaces of hands effectively.  One suggestion offered by the CDC is to sing the Happy Birthday song while you scrub with soap to help time the 20 second duration. 

Here is another helpful way to do effective hand washing, contributed by Debbie Ringen, Transitional Minister for Health and Wellness Southern New England UCC Conference:

Make Handwashing a Time of Prayer: Washing our hands for 20 seconds is one of the ways to reduce the spread of the COVID virus.  How long is 20 seconds?   That is sometimes hard to track.  However, there is a way that combines adequate handwashing and praising God.  The Doxology that we sing during worship, (it starts with “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….) takes approximately 20 seconds to sing.   By choosing to sing the Doxology each time we wash our hands we mentally shift our focus from the challenge of living within a pandemic to thoughts of gratitude and the blessings God has bestowed.  Focusing on these positives in the midst of our challenges improves our health and wellbeing.  Thanks be to God.  For further explanation and a demonstration go to this video.   

Social Distancing:
“Social distancing” was a term that was used earlier in the pandemic as many people stayed home to help prevent spread of the virus. Now as communities are reopening and people are in public more often, “physical distancing” is used to stress the importance of maintaining a six-foot physical space when in public areas.  How far apart is 6 feet?  Here’s a fun way to illustrate this distance using common objects as examples. 

Contact Tracing:
If you've been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you may be contacted by a contact tracer or public health worker from your state or local health department in an effort to help slow the spread of the disease.  Legitimate contact tracers will never ask for your Medicare Number or financial information.  The CDC offers information about contact tracing.

Prescription information:
Medicare has offered tips to protect yourself from COVID-19 when getting your prescriptions during the pandemic:

• If possible, call in prescription orders ahead of time.
• Use drive-thru windows, curbside services, mail-order, or other delivery services.
• Try to make one trip, picking up all medicine at the same time.
• If you go into the pharmacy, remember to wear a face covering and maintain physical distance.

You can contact your Medicare prescription drug plan to see if they have temporarily waived certain requirements to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 — like waiving prescription refill limits or relaxing restrictions on home delivery or mail delivery of prescription drugs. You can also ask your Medicare drug plan about extended-day supplies.

HEALTH PROGRAMMING AND OBSERVATION DATES:

September:

National Preparedness Month:  
Preparation for natural disasters is always a relevant health ministries educational and procedural response topic.  The Red Cross offers an  Emergency Preparedness Checklist.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also encourages and reminds Americans to be prepared for disasters or emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities.  The EPA site on  natural disasters includes Information on preparing for hurricanes and recovering after hurricanes and flooding.

Flu Season 2019: 
It is time to talk about flu immunization and receive a vaccination.  Public health officials are pushing to vaccinate 65% of American adults against the flu this influenza season. This is 25 percentage points higher coverage than a typical year.  The goal: to reduce an onslaught of patients with flu from descending on the health care system at the same time COVID-19 patients continue to seek care.

The CDC offers a variety of educational information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent. For each vaccine, you can access information about who should receive the vaccine, when it should be administered, and what patients or parents should know about it.   Resources are available in various formats—flyers, fact sheets, posters, videos, web buttons—and includes links to other useful websites. A link on this site connects to vaccination materials in Spanish.  CDC materials can be downloaded, copied, and distributed to patients. 

Influenza and pneumonia vaccination may be protective against the development of Alzheimer disease (AD) in older patients, according to two new research studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2020 in Chicago, Illinois.

October:
Here are links for October programming. 

Domestic Violence Awareness Month:  
The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence website provides a comprehensive source of information. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: 
The American Cancer Society dedicates the month of October to raising awareness about the benefits of finding and treating breast cancer early. Information can also be found at National Breast Cancer Foundation website. 

NOVEMBER ELECTION:

Because of COVID-19, many people, especially in areas with high rates of infection, are concerned about going to voting sites which may be crowded.  Check with your state’s Board of Elections for information about mail-in Absentee ballots.  It is also advised to check for locations of voting sites as some sites may have been closed because of smaller numbers of volunteers. 

Steps to assure your vote counts:

1. Check Your Voter Registration Status.
2. Mail-In or Absentee Voting – some states will be mailing a mail-in ballot to every registered voter; in other states, you will have to request a mail-in ballot.
3. Pay attention to deadlines for submitting mail-in ballots and also know where you can put your ballot in a drop-off box.
4. Consider early in-person voting. You may be able to vote at a time when there are only a few others at the site.
5. If voting on election day, avoid the peak times and the last hour’s rush. Bring your own black pen (or if your precinct uses electronic voting machines, a stylus) so you do not have to use one that has been touched by other voters.  Review a sample ballot in advance (which you can do through your local election office’s website) so you can vote and depart quickly. 

THIS MONTH’S WELLNESS MINISTRIES MOMENT . . .

Deborah Ringen, Transitional Minister for Health and Wellness Southern New England UCC Conference:

Did you know that 90% of the American Red Cross workforce is volunteer? During the coronavirus pandemic, many volunteers had to step away because they are in the vulnerable population. This has created an urgent need for volunteer Facility Screeners and Blood Donor ambassadors for community blood drives. Volunteers in these positions may welcome donors, check temperatures, get donors registered and monitor the refreshment table. Volunteers are an essential part of every successful blood drive.

As a faith community nurse (FCN), and an American Red Cross Blood Donor Ambassador, I have experienced the compassion and caring each and every Red Cross staff person and blood donor brings to the donation site. Although the volunteer position does not require a healthcare professional, FCN’s excel at creating a compassionate presence, putting people at ease, and maintaining infection control measures! The shift is usually 5-6 hours. Training and personal protective equipment is provided by the American Red Cross.

Is your fellowship hall sitting vacant right now? In many states faith community facilities serve as blood donation sites. All that is needed is a large open space where the Red Cross can set up the assessment and donation areas. The host site assists with publicizing the event and benefits from community outreach recognition.  We have hosted blood drives at our church in Connecticut for many years.  Church and community members rely on us to make their donations easy and pleasant right in their neighborhood. Donors feel comfortable and look forward to the welcoming smiles of the volunteers and staff.  Before coronavirus, donors sought out their favorite cookies and sandwiches prepared by the congregation (now the Red Cross provides prepackaged snacks for safety). Most importantly, patients receive the lifesaving blood they need.

There is an urgent need for blood and platelet donations due to the Coronavirus.  Donors are screened for fever and exposure to COVID-19 and strict infection control procedures are followed to keep donors, volunteers, and staff safe! Make an appointment near you at www.redcrossblood.org.   If you are interested in hosting a blood drive find out more at Why Host a Blood Drive. Help save a life today!

UCC OVERDOSE AND DRUG USE MINISTRIES:

In the U.S., almost 200 people a day die from a drug overdose, 130 of those from an opioid overdose. That is 70,000 people a year dying in a largely preventable crisis. The UCC Overdose & Drug Use Ministries (ODUM) Project brings together pastors, lay leaders, theologians, service providers, people with lived experience of substance use, activists and other collaborators in order to advocate for and increase the engagement of local churches in ministries with our neighbors who:

• use drugs,
• live with or are personally affected by drug use, including opioids, or
• may be at risk for or have experienced incidents of overdose.

Centering the voices of people with lived experience, including women and people of color, the project focuses its work on building the capacity of local churches and providing resources to engage in overdose and drug use ministries in their community, with particular attention to the intersections of stigma, trauma, drug use, faith, and spirituality. We do this by:

• developing educational resources and practical guides, including a toolkit,
• building leadership capacity in our conferences, associations, and churches to respond to the epidemic in their community, and
• offering strategies and resources for local, statewide, and national corporate and public policy advocacy.

Learn more about ODUM and how we can support you and your congregation in learning more about opportunities to deepen health and wholeness for communities impacted by substance use and overdose. You may also email ODUM Project Coordinator, Erica Poellot at poellote@ucc.org

Professional Practice:

Call for Public Comments:
The American Nurses Association has posted the Draft Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, Fourth Edition. online for a period of public review.   The working group has revised the definition of nursing, extensively reorganized the scope of practice statement and included a new representation of the nursing process and two new models, added new Standard 8 Advocacy and its accompanying competencies, and reordered the Standards of Professional Performance. 

Nurses are asked to provide comments and recommendations during the recently opened public comment period by the closing date of September 16, 2020.  You may access the draft document here.

KEEP CONNECTED:

Visit our FaceBook and Linked-In pages:
Post comments or share information about your health ministries; join in conversations.

Previous issues of the newsletter: 
Use previous year’s monthly newsletters to aid your search for links to resources on health ministries and wellness topics:

Contact us:

• Have something you want to share with your colleagues?
• Are you looking for something to assist you in your ministry? 
• Interested in joining the Leadership Team for the Wellness Ministries of the UCC?

Let us hear from you.

Contact:
Alyson Breisch, Editor

###

Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

July - August 2020, Vol. 5 Issue 5

REFLECTION:

As this newsletter is being written, many states are experiencing recent increases in the incidence of Covid-19 cases and hospitals in some states are nearing capacity for available ICU beds. 

When social distancing is not possible in public spaces, wearing a mask protects others, reducing overall community transmission. Masks may even remind people not to touch their faces after touching potentially contaminated surfaces.  Wearing a face mask cannot necessarily prevent a given individual from contracting coronavirus, but it could help stop people from spreading it to others. That is important because people who are infected can spread the virus days before symptoms show up, and some infected people never get symptoms.

Public health officials note that while there remains uncertainty about just how effectively face masks or coverings can prevent coronavirus transmission—the evidence overall indicates they can play an important role in limiting the epidemic's spread.  As promoters of health and wellness, we can educate others about the importance of wearing masks as well as how to wear them correctly.  Wearing a mask is a sign of love for others.                                 

ANNOUNCEMENT:  Our first news item in this issue is to announce the retirement of the newsletter’s co-editor Deb Stankiewicz,  MS, RN-BC, HTCP.  Deb has been Parish Nurse at First Congregational UCC of Western Springs, Illinois for 30 ½ years.  She is using the summer months to focus on the transition from that staff position to her retirement in September.  We extend heartfelt gratitude to Deb for her health ministries leadership and nursing care to her congregation and to UCC Wellness Ministries work. 

UCC WELLNESS MINISTRIES: an Open and Affirming Ministry of the United Church of Christ. 

Open and Affirming (ONA) is the United Church of Christ's (UCC) designation for congregations, campus ministries, and other bodies in the UCC which make a public covenant of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.

This spring the Leadership Team of the UCC Wellness Ministries and faith community nurses wrote and submitted a covenant and is now recognized as an Open and Affirming Ministry of the United Church of Christ. 

RACIAL JUSTICE DURING A DEVELOPING PANDEMIC 

As people of faith and supporters of wellness in body, mind, and spirit it is easy to become overwhelmed when confronted by the need to respond to both the ongoing issues of racial justice and a developing pandemic that scientists are still trying to understand.  Our denomination, the United Church of Christ, is actively exploring these issues and offering resources for spiritual health, physical health, and mental health.

United Church of Christ Resources:

Rev. Dr. Velda Love serves as the Minister for Racial Justice to help the church live into its vision of building a just world for all.  In the Racial Justice section of the UCC website the following resources are available:

• Sacred Conversations to End Racism - A Restorative Justice Journey Summer Institute 2020 includes learning tools and resources such as books, videos, documentaries, articles, art, and music.
• Racial Justice Resources 2020 provides a list of reading and video resources that improve understanding of the acts against Blacks, Latinx, and Asian people individually and collectively.
• 400 Years Commemoration 1619-2019 Africans in America provides resources that enlarge our understanding of African peoples whose history spans over 70,000 years. The continent of Africa is the birthplace of the first humans. Links are provided to biblical, theological, and historical resources, including videos and documentaries.
• Stop White Supremacy provides links to resources that will help you take action within your church and community.
• Stop the Hate Take Action Against Racism provides links to reporting hate crimes. It also provides a number of links to report and address bias against people of color during the current COVIC-19 crises. 

The black community and other minorities seem to be at greater risk of adverse health outcomes associated with COVID-19.  American Medical Association President, Dr. Patrice Harris, MD, MA  posits The reason why,  focusing on these three factors:

• Preexisting conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity that disproportionately impact the African American community.
• Essential jobs that are not in the health profession, including bus drivers, train operators and custodians, are overrepresented by communities of color.
• Structural inequities and social determinants of health that are influenced by implicit bias and racial discrimination.

The American Medical Association provides  COVID-19 health equity resources that explain the current situation and offer guidance for change.    There are additional COVID-19 Racial Equity and Social Justice resources.

FAITH COMMUNITIES RESPONDING TO CHALLENGES OF THE  COVID-19 PANDEMIC 

This coronavirus disease has presented a challenge to our churches and faith-based organizations.  The rules and regulations regarding precautions that must be taken and what gatherings may occur differ from state to state.  Read your state rules and ask specific questions from your state’s Department of Health. 

Additional guidance is available from the UCC at  Coronavirus and the Church. This web page contains information that all settings of the United Church of Christ – local churches, associations, conferences, and national ministries may find useful.

The United Church of Christ Coronavirus-19 Resources provides detailed information that assists as we care for individuals, families, groups, congregation and community we serve by exploring Health and Wholeness in the Midst of COVID-19 Health and Wholeness in the Midst of COVID-19

The CDC also provides assistance with a Check list for Faith Communities

The CDC  has a number of new resources related to COVID-19 available in multiple languages.

It is recommended that churches follow the CDC Guidance on Cleaning and Disinfecting and  the local regulations.  Checklists of what to consider when considering reopening the buildings are provided.

Resources for Supporting Mental Health

An American Psychiatric Association survey found that many people have significant anxiety and concerns related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).  The Partnership Center of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  has a document available Considering Faith, Community, and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Crisis to assist faith community leaders assist those who seek their help for mental health concerns.  It includes an extensive list of mental health resources.

Faith Common Sense and Reducing Panic– Written by Deborah Ringen RN-BC ,faith community nurse and Transitional Minister of Health and Wellness for the Southern New England Conference, UCC. What greater way is there to love yourself and your neighbor than by using basic infection control like hand washing to help stop the spread of viruses and other illnesses?

Addressing the Unique Needs of Children and Youth

The Southern New England Conference, UCC has posted  Resources for Individuals and Families with suggestions for talking to children.  This list is being updated regularly as new resources are discovered related either racial justice or COVID-19.  Suggestions are provided for  Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus Crisis.

A tip sheet 10 Ways to Respond to Fear and Scapegoating During the Coronavirus Epidemic provides guidance for conversations with young people to help them respond in positive, relationship-enhancing ways to the interpersonal or prejudicial challenges that surface during the coronavirus epidemic.

Improving health by Reducing a Sense of Loneliness or Isolation

Research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease and even death.  Especially now during the Covid-19 epidemic congregants of all ages have reported having feelings of loneliness while disconnected from others socially.  Others report a sense of isolation as they have no meaningful relationships even if they are surrounded by people. 

An article titled The risks of social isolation by Amy Novotney and published in the American Psychological Association explains the ways in which loneliness and isolation have a negative effect on all aspects of health.  The information may help in developing increased communication and connectedness within and between groups within the congregation.

How to overcome loneliness while you are social distancing by Bryan Bushman, PhD provides a variety of suggestions that you could encourage your congregants to incorporate into their routines.  Although each of us may feel alone none of us are experiencing Covid-19 alone.

Remind people that physical distancing is not social isolation.  In addition to worship services being sent electronically using Zoom, churches have coffee hour after worship,  weekly Bible study,  committee meetings, and all church meetings virtually.

The World Health Organization has posters stating Physical distancing is not social isolation and other small posters; all are available in a variety of languages.

THIS MONTH’S WELLNESS MINISTRIES MOMENT . . .

Idea for a new fellowship group by Linda Morgan, BSN, RN, Commissioned Minister of Congregational Health, Community UCC, Champaign, IL

Last fall, in consultation with my pastor, I started a new social group at our church for “persons who live alone”.   Having recently recovered from a lengthy illness myself, I had gained a new perspective on the hazards to mind and spirit health, that living alone can create.  My pastor agreed this idea would be a worthwhile effort, especially when we realized the significant number of persons in our congregation who share this living situation.   This is no surprise given the fact there were 36.48 million single-person households in the US in 2019.

Our group was initiated specifically for persons who live alone for ANY reason, either part-time or full time.  We planned to provide a way to connect with each other on a monthly basis, for fellowship and fun activities of the group’s choosing.  The first few activities were chosen by a small planning group; members now take turns volunteering to plan a certain month’s activity and sharing the details with the others.   The group is enjoying the opportunity to become acquainted with a new group of church friends.

Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic stopped our activities temporarily, but it has also given us a new direction.  The group allows us to check in with each other either by a group email or individual phone call, which we especially appreciate during this time of social isolation.  When the public health guidelines in our state begin to loosen up, we again look forward to some group activities, while incorporating our “new normal” of social distancing and wearing masks.

NATIONAL HEALTH AWARENESS TOPIC FOR AUGUST                    

National Immunization Awareness Month: 

This topic is especially important this year.  With the shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been decreased accessibility to routine immunization services.  Many provider offices have transitioned to telemedicine practices, where possible, to provide continuity of care.  The observed declines in routine vaccination coverage might leave young children vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, and adults vulnerable to other vaccine-preventable diseases.

CDC Vaccination Guidance During a Pandemic    Ensuring immunization services are maintained or reinitiated is essential for protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks and reducing the burden of respiratory illness during the upcoming influenza season.

Important vaccination information for babies, children, pre-teens, teens, and adults: the CDC offers a toolkit for Communicating with Parents and Patients. 

ON-LINE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES

Resilience series (Zoom Webinars) offered by the Southern New England Conference, UCC supports resilience and well-being:

July 7, 2020, 3-4 pm - 3 Good Things. Presenter: Bryan Sexton, PhD Associate Professor, Director, Duke Center for Healthcare Safety & Quality, Duke University Health System. He will facilitate resilience building for participants and for their colleagues through use of a positive psychology intervention of practicing Three Good Things. 

July  14, 2020, 3-4 pm- Balancing Mind, Body and Spirit Wellness: Model for Healthy Living.  Presenter: Deborah Ringen MSN, RN-BC Faith Community Nurse, Transitional Minister of Health & Wellness. Her ministry is dedicated to walking alongside people experiencing distress due to illness and grief with a focus on compassionate care for all.

July 28^th, 2020 3 –4-pm - “Tell Me About Your Losses...”.  Presenter: Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs, BCC ret. Past President of UCC Professional Chaplains and Counselors. Coordinator for UCC Disaster Ministries Chaplains. She has led retreats, workshops, and trainings for the UCC, assisting clergy following natural disasters and human-caused traumas, to help try to prevent clergy burnout.

KEEP CONNECTED:

Visit our FaceBook and Linked-In pages:
Post comments or share information about your health ministries; join in conversations.

Previous issues of the newsletter: 
Use previous year’s monthly newsletters to aid your search for links to resources on health ministries and wellness topics:

Contact us:

• Have something you want to share with your colleagues?
• Are you looking for something to assist you in your ministry? 
• Interested in joining the Leadership Team for the Wellness Ministries of the UCC?

Let us hear from you.

Contact:
Alyson Breisch, Editor

###

Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

May -June 2020, Vol. 5 Issue 4

As we continue individual and community responses to COVID-19, most readers of this newsletter are staying home, worshipping virtually, and using various social media approaches to stay connected.  An interesting perspective to the term social distancing is shared by Philip Metres, professor of English and director of the Peace, Justice, and Human Rights program at John Carroll University.   In this excerpt from a Letter to His Students, “To Expand the Moral Imagination in the Confines of Quarantine”; he comments:

“For example, we need to understand how crucial social distancing can be as a public health strategy, even as we also need to find ways of reaching out to each other. My therapist rightly pointed out that the term is wrong: we need physical distance and social connection.” 

Staying connected and maintaining support to parishioners and clergy staff is occurring in many innovative, intentional ways.  It is also important for health and wellness ministers and faith community nurses to provide accurate information to communities. 

This issue of the newsletter focuses on resources you can access related to Coronavirus COVID-19.  A regular review of these Web-based Resources can provide you with ongoing updates.  

Additional resources were included in the COVID-19 Supplement April 2, 2020 of  Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness UCC Wellness Ministries Newsletter which you can access on the United Church of Christ website:    

TRUSTED WEB SOURCES:

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

The latest situation summary updates are available on CDC’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) web page.

CDC also has these two sites:

• How COVID-19 spreads
• COVID-19 symptoms

National Institutes of Health - Coronavirus

United Church of Christ (UCC)  - Coronavirus and the Church

Sections include Helping Churches Respond, Stewardship, Legislative Updates, From Church Leaders, Clergy Self-Care, UCC News and Daily Briefings by Barbara Baylor, and General Resources.

American Nurses Association

• Nursing Center Blog: Guidance for your nursing specialty

Health Ministries Association (HMA)
Links to CDC sites, World Health Organization (WHO), SAMHSA Behavioral Health, Emotional/Spiritual Resources

Check with your state’s Department of Health and your state’s Nursing Association for updates pertaining to your state.

SAFETY:

Face Masks: CDC recommends face masks to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Topics on this page include how to wear a face mask, cleaning masks, how to safely remove a mask, and patterns for making masks.

Safety Tips:

• CDC safety tips: Daily life, running errands, grocery shopping, getting gasoline, take-out orders, etc.
• Red Cross safety tips
• OSHA safety tips

Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting Your Home: 

• CDC: Disinfecting your home
• Penn State Extension: Cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting in the home

ADVANCE DIRECTIVES:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH): Advance Care Planning Healthcare Directives
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHCPO): Caring Info provides free advance directives and instructions for each state that can be opened as a PDF (Portable Document Format) file.
• Prepare For Your Care: Planning Guide COVID-19

MENTAL HEALTH:

General Resources:

• NAMI: Navigating a Mental Health Crisis
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• SAMSHA: behavioral health during an infectious disease outbreak
• SAMHSA National Helpline 1-800-662 HELP (4357)   
• SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990
• Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse on UCC.org:
  • Domestic violence, mental health issues heighten in pandemic; pastors, churches can respond
  • Health and wholeness in the midst of COVID-19

Care of Persons with Dementia:
People with dementia may not be able to remember to wash their hands or maintain social distance.  They may not understand changes to the routine of the household, or facility where they live. 

• Alzheimer’s Association: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Tips for Dementia Caregivers
• Alzheimer’s Foundation of America – tips on preventing infection and staying active during social isolation: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America

Self-Care: 

• CDC: Stress and Coping
• Psychology Today: Self Care and COVID-19: Getting Ready for the Marathon
• VeryWellMind (a partner of The Cleveland Clinic): Understanding grief in COVID-19 pandemic

CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND RESPONSES TO PANDEMIC:

• Mass General Hospital Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds: Coronavirus and family mental health
• Mayo Clinic: Kids coping with the COVID-19 pandemic
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Public health resources
• Child Mind Institute: Supporting Families During COVID-19

CHURCH DURING PANDEMIC:

• Virtual worship
• Return to worship at facility
  For a comprehensive look at what should be fully considered before making that decision read the Wisconsin Council of Churches resource (also available as a pdf file)
• Insurance Board: Issues and concerns and how to address them

VOLUNTEERISM:

• Blood Donation: American Red Cross
• National and Community Service: Ten Ways to Safely Help Your Community During COVID-19

Check your state’s website for volunteer opportunities near you.  Check your area’s non-profit and volunteer center for needed volunteer activities. 

CONFERENCES:

• NOTE: The Health Ministries Association Annual Conference has been postponed until September 26, 27, 28, 2021.

KEEP CONNECTED:

Visit our FaceBook and Linked-In pages:
Post comments or share information about your health ministries; join in conversations.

Previous issues of the newsletter: 
Use previous year’s monthly newsletters to aid your search for links to resources on health ministries and wellness topics:

Contact us:

• Have something you want to share with your colleagues?
• Are you looking for something to assist you in your ministry? 
• Interested in joining the Leadership Team for the Wellness Ministries of the UCC?

Let us hear from you.

Contact:
Alyson Breisch and/or Deb Stankiewicz

###

COVID-19 Special Issue
Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

April 6, 2020, Vol. 5 Issue 3

THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) is now a worldwide pandemic.  This Special Issue to the UCC Wellness Ministries Newsletter is entirely focused on responses to the Corona Virus (COVID-19).  As the course of this virus has evolved, health and wellness ministries and faith community nurses in local congregations, associations, and conferences are providing accurate health information and participating in virtual-based worship and pastoral care support to communities.  The intent of this Special Issue is to compile various sources of information that may be helpful in your wellness ministries and your personal care. 

United Church of Christ (UCC) Resources:  
The national UCC website has a portal devoted to COVID-19, Coronavirus and the Church. The web page contains information that all settings of the United Church of Christ – local churches, associations, conferences, and national ministries – have contributed to and may find useful. Resources also come from ecumenical partners and respected health organizations.  Categories include:

• Help for Churches in Responding Immediately
• How to Offer Worship Online
• Lessons on Ministry during a Disaster
• COVID-19 Daily Briefing from Disaster Ministries
• Suggestions for Talking to Children
• Legislative Updates (Families First Coronavirus Response Act and Summary)
• Statements by Church Leaders
• UCC News Articles
• General Resources - and Separating Fact from Fiction
• Avoiding Scams

Other responses of national UCC staff to provide timely information includes a pastoral letter and a daily briefing:

• A Pastoral Letter in a Time of Pandemic
  https://www.ucc.org/news_commentary_a_pastoral_letter_in_a_time_of_pandemic_03262020
• UCC Daily Briefing on COVID-19, Facts to Fight Fear
  https://www.ucc.org/news_ucc_s_daily_briefing_on_covid_19_provides_facts_to_fight_fear_04012020
• Health and Wholeness in the Midst of COVID-19
  https://www.ucc.org/health_and_wholeness_in_the_midst_of_covid_19

Updates will be made as circumstances change. 

Virtual Worship:  The United Church of Christ's Justice and Local Church Ministries has created a valuable resource in the pandemic that has information related to virtual worship and music, technology and "social distancing" options, copyright issues for virtual worship.

UCC Congregations, Associations, and Conferences:  The responses of local churches and conferences to the pandemic have been diverse and creative with tips on virtual worship, information related to keeping connected during social distancing, food programs for children, and pastoral care approaches. 

Churches have created contact lists for deacons and health and wellness committee members to connect with designated parishioners (the elderly, those living alone, and those living with chronic illness or disabilities) through phone calls, texting, and emails.  Churches have created suggested questions for these contacts and mechanisms to assess for concerns and how to share information with pastors when necessary.   One church formed a group for those who live alone to connect by Zoom once each week; it is called Chat and Checking In.  Other churches have changed their visitation ministries to card ministries and found ways to provide grocery delivery or meals to the elderly or those who are in high-risk groups.  Check your UCC conference website for similar information or contribute information to be posted to assist other congregations.  Here are additional resources found on two conferences’ websites for you:

The Southern New England Conference (SNEC) (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) has developed a Corona Virus page on their conference website: that includes pastoral care for self and others, resources for youth, children and families, and worship and nurturing community on line. 

• The worship and nurturing community page has many practical tips including a quick guide to using Zoom, virtual coffee hours, and multiple How-To Guides
• Debbie Ringen, Transitional Minister of Health and Wellness for the SNEC has developed a series of 6 Blogs that you may enjoy reading and sharing: https://www.sneucc.org/authordetail/2860695

The Southern Conference (North Carolina and Eastern Virginia) is holding twice-weekly Zoom webinars for conference ministers; the next will be a Maundy Thursday worship followed by these topics: web and digital strategies, creative worship, mental health, scams and predators, and human trafficking.

• The Southern Conference also offers resources related to prayer practices during this pandemic:  Mindfulness, meditation and prayer are ways to focus and root the mind in the present moment leading to clarity, inner peace, reduction of stress and healing on all levels. Different ways to pray include using prayer beads, scripture and prayer books to receive help and answers, reduction of stress and healing of the mind, body and soul.
• The United Church of Chapel Hill (UCCH) in the Southern Conference has posted other links for parents on how to talk with children about COVID-19:
  • National Child Traumatic Stress Network:
    Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  • PBS for Parents

Web-based COVID-19 related Health Information
These Web-based Resources related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) can provide ongoing updates.

• Center for Disease Control (CDC) resources
  • The latest situation summary updates are available on CDC’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)  web page. 
  • How COVID-19 spreads:  Last reviewed April 2, 2020
  • COVID-19 symptoms: last updated February 29, 2020
  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) COVID-19 Partner Toolkit
• American Nurses Association
• Health Ministries Association (HMA)
  • The HMA offers resources and tools to help you in your community.
  • HMA also provides multiple denominations’-based resources related to COVID-19:

Web-based Mental Health Information

• American Psychiatric Nurses AssociationManaging Stress & Self Care during COVID-19:  Information for Nurses
• Six Tips for Nurses Coping with the COVID-19 PandemicA blog by Dr. Bernadette Melnyk and ANA’s Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)Resources to Protect Mental Health and Coping with the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves during Infectious Disease OutbreaksA blog from the American Psychiatric Association, includes printable hand out
• American Holistic Nurses Association’s Holistic Stress Management website
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Navigating a Mental Health Crisis
• NAMI’sNavigating a Mental Health Crisis Infographic
• US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)  National Center for PTSD’sManaging Healthcare Workers’ Stress Associated with the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak

National Life- and Helplines

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  1-800-273-TALK (8255) https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• SAMHSA National Helpline  1-800-662 HELP (4357) https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
• SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990 https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline

Care for Yourself
We are grateful to each of you for extending aid, support, and comfort to others during this challenging time.  As you care for others, we pray that you will also take time to care for yourselves.  One way is to intentionally “unplug” for 15 - 30 minutes each day.  Turn off the TV’s constant Breaking News and defer looking at the incoming email news update alerts.  Instead, use time each day to rest, listen to favorite music, read a chapter in a novel or spiritual text, take a short walk outside, look at family or travel photos, read to a child, watch the birds at a feeder, work in your garden, call a friend, send someone a hand-written card, or close your eyes and slowly breath in prayerful meditation. Whatever you choose, take time to nourish your mind, body, and spirit with intentional self-care.

Contact us: Alyson Breisch and/or Deb Stankiewicz

###

Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

March-April 2020, Vol. 5 Issue 2

REFLECTION:

“If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.”
 “So many mists in March you see, so many frosts in May will be.”
“A dry March and a wet May? Fill barns and bays with corn and hay.”
“March winds and April showers? Bring forth May flowers.”

Weather folklore sayings may be based on careful observations and turn out to be accurate while others are merely rhymes or reflect beliefs that weather, like life, should be a balance.  This time of year abounds with weather fluctuations.  Here in NC, we had a snow dusting last week, last night’s thunderstorm was accompanied with high winds, and tomorrow the temperature is forecast to be 72 degrees!   A stroll outdoors finds spring bulbs pushing through the ground (or already in full bloom).  Trees are budding leaves and the spring peepers are chirping at morning’s dawn and dusk.   We too are changing in this new season.  May it be a time of discovery, exploration, and balance. 

LENT:

Ash Wednesday worship services on February 26th marked the onset of this year’s 40-day period of fasting, penitence, and confession.  The Lenten season invites us to incorporate spiritual practices into our patterns of daily life.  It is an opportunity to turn away from possessions and practices that distract us and redirect our focus on service and gaining new insight as we journey toward Easter.  

Reflective reading can be a transformative part of daily spiritual rituals during Lent.  Here are several book suggestions to consider:

1. Forty Days to a Closer Walk with Jesus: The Practice of Centering Prayer by J. David Muskens. Each day offers a scripture reading and meditation. 
2. Traveling the Prayer Paths of Jesus by John Indermark. The book offers an exercise for spiritual formation and prayer for each day.  It also includes a leader’s guide for using the book for a six-week small group study. 
3. The Overload syndrome: Learning to Live Within Your Limits by Richard A. Swenson. While the book is over 20 years old, it still offers insight to the excesses in our lives that result in “margin-less lives”. He describes different kinds of overload (accessibility, activity & commitment, change & stress, choice & decision, debt, expectation, hurry & fatigue, information & education, media, possession, work, etc.) and provides practical prescriptions for restoring margin to overloaded lives.
4. Deliver Us, the 2020 Lenten Devotional from the Stillspeaking Writers' Group is available on the UCC website as single copies or 5-Pack: https://www.uccresources.com/products/deliver-us-2020-lenten-devotional-stillspeaking-writers-group?variant=31626958536767

HEALTH PROGRAMMING AND OBSERVATION DATES IN MARCH AND APRIL:

March:

Certified Nurses Day, celebrated on March 19, is an annual day of recognition dedicated to nursing professionalism, excellence, recognition, and service.   162 faith community nurses achieved certification by portfolio through ANCC.  If you have a colleague that is a certified FCN, send a note recognizing this accomplishment and expressing gratitude for their commitment to excellence in nursing. 

Colorectal Cancer Awareness:  March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.   This year 135,000 Americans will be diagnosed.  Most colorectal cancers develop first as polyps, which are abnormal growths inside the colon or rectum that may later become cancerous if not removed.   Colorectal cancer affects men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most often found in people 50 years or older. However incidence in those younger than 50 is on the rise.  Regular screening, beginning at age 50 – or younger if there is a family history of early presentation - is the key to preventing colorectal cancer. Only about two-thirds of adults in the United States are up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening.

The CDC website offers information on colorectal cancer symptoms, screening, risk factors and how to lower risk, statistics, and resources: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/

Learn more about the CDC’s Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) which is intended to increase colorectal cancer screening rates among people between 50 and 75 years of age by:

• Implementing evidence-based interventions described in the Guide to Community Preventive Services (the Community Guide)external icon and other supporting strategies in partnership with health systems.
• Providing screening and follow-up services for a limited number of program-eligible people.

A short video produced by CDC called Community Garden is available that uses animation to counter common myths about colorectal cancer screening. The video discusses who should get screened at what age, how screening helps prevent colorectal cancer, and important information about screening test options: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lpmTuJWaLQ

You can also spread the word that colorectal cancer screening saves lives with posts on social media: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/resources/social-media.htm

Healthy Sleep:   Continuing from last issue’s topic about sleep in the Wellness Ministries Moment, March focuses on National Sleep Awareness Week (March 8-14, 2020) and Sleep Awareness Month!  This year’s theme “Begin with Sleep” highlights the importance of good sleep health for individuals to best achieve their personal, family, and professional goals. This is the perfect time to implement healthy sleep habits and think about what you can do to get a good night’s rest and also get quality sleep.  Find helpful information here: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/sleep-awareness-week-2019

The National Sleep Foundation will release the results of its annual Sleep in America® poll on March 8^th.  It includes specific topics of interest such as: Children and Sleep, Women and Sleep, and Technology and Sleep.  Check for this year’s findings after March 8th: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/professionals/sleep-america-polls

Speaking of sleep. . . on Sunday, March 7, 2020 Daylight Savings Time begins at 2:00 A.M. Remember to “spring forward” in the spring and set your clocks forward one hour (losing one hour of sleep). 

April:

Parkinson’s Disease Awareness:

Saturday, April 11, 2020 is World Parkinson’s Day.  By this year, there will be nearly 1 million people living with Parkinson’s disease in the U.S. The tulip is the official symbol within the Parkinson's community.  In 1980, J.W.S. Van der Wereld, a Dutch horticulturalist who had Parkinson’s disease, developed a red and white tulip. Van der Wereld named his prized flower, the ‘Dr. James Parkinson’ tulip, to honor the English apothecary surgeon who originally described Parkinson’s in 1812.

Parkinson's Disease is characterized by:

• Motor problems: Slowness of movement, rigidity, and tremor. Balance and gait problems may occur later in the course of illness. Some people may also experience decrease in facial expression, low voice volume, small handwriting, and difficulty with fine motor movements.
• Non-motor symptoms: Depression and other emotional changes, difficulty in swallowing, chewing, and speaking; urinary problems or constipation; skin problems, sleep disruptions.

While symptoms such as slowness (bradykinesia), stiffness (rigidity), tremor, changes in voice quality and imbalance (postural instability) are characteristic of Parkinson’s disease, these same symptoms are often present in other movement disorders which effect the nervous system such as Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Vascular Parkinsonism to name a few. Certain medications can also cause pseudo-parkinsonism as a side effect.  If someone is experiencing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease it is important to seek evaluation with a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders to rule out various disorders. Drug therapy is the first line of treatment for most of these conditions and getting the right diagnosis allows for the most effective medications to be prescribed.

There are also physical and speech therapy programs specifically for people with Parkinson’s disease. They are known as LSVT BIG and LSVT LOUD. The LSVT BIG program drives high-intensity and high-effort practice in order to teach the amount of effort required to produce normal movements. The exercises translate into bigger movements in everyday activities. LSVT LOUD is a treatment for speech disorders associated with Parkinson's disease. Follow these links to learn more about Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders of a parkinsonian nature, and LSVT.

https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/what-is-parkinsons

https://www.parkinson.org/research

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/.../centers_clinics/movement_disorders/conditions

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3316992   (LSVT information)

The following link will help you to search for doctors who are movement disorders specialists in your area:  https://www.movementdisorders.org/MDS/Resources/.

Earth Day 2020: UCC Tree-planting Initiative: In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd, this year UCC is seeking to plant over 50,000 trees in ten days from April 17th to 26th.  In expanding the scope of collaborative efforts in 2020, the UCC's Ministry of Environmental Justice has partnered with Interfaith Power and Light to make this tree planting campaign part of their Faith Climate Action Week. To participate, churches and their members can plant their own trees, or they can have trees planted on their behalf. The UCC has provided four options for organizations that can do the work for you. Additionally, worship resources are provided for congregations to celebrate the planting of trees. Learn more about the different possibilities and resources available.

“WELLNESS MINISTRIES MOMENT”:

Submitted by Deb Stankiewicz, MS, RN-BC, HTCP, First Congregational Church (UCC) Western Springs, Illinois

Churches are often on the frontlines when climate disasters occur, sometimes putting boots on the ground and sometimes just contributing financial support. They are also uniquely positioned to promote emergency preparedness within their buildings and in the homes of their members. At the congregation I serve, we have developed an emergency response policy. It delineates the roles and responses to be undertaken by staff and ushers in the event of member illness and regarding security breaches. Some churches have worked with their local police departments to implement Active Shooter Drills. As the parish nurse, I have collaborated with the local Fire Department to bring CPR/AED certification classes on campus for our ushers, youth ministry staff and church preschool teachers. We have purchased and placed AED (automatic external defibrillator) machines in the main areas of the campus. Pieces of equipment that can be accessed immediately such as wheelchairs are also strategically placed within the church buildings. We recently had a member who became ill at home and we were contacted by a neighbor of that person who was looking for emergency contact information. Having found none in the home, the wallet, or the mobile phone, she reached out to me. With that event our staff realized that we have very little of that kind of information in our possession about our members. As a result, this faith community nurse will be planning a seminar to address various vehicles for ensuring that emergency information is available at our  member’s homes and at the church. Follow these links for resource/program in formation on this important topic.

https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2017/packing-your-emergency-preparedness-kit-fd.html

https://www.ready.gov/plan

https://www.emergency.cdc.gov

https://www.folife.org

WE INVITE YOU TO SHARE AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO WELLNESS MINISTRIES.  SEND US A NOTE DESCRIBING YOUR WELLNESS MINISTRIES MOMENT AND WATCH FOR IT IN A FUTURE ISSUE OF Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness.

ON-LINE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES / EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING :   

THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) is now a world-wide health concern.  As the course of this virus evolves, it is important for health and wellness ministries and faith community nurses in local congregations, associations, and conferences to provide accurate information to communities.  Regular review of these Web-based Resources related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) can provide ongoing updates:

Center for Disease Control (CDC) resources:

The latest situation summary updates are available on CDC’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) web page.

CDC also has these two sites:

How COVID-19 spreads: 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html

COVID-19 symptoms:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html

American Nurses Association:

https://www.nursingworld.org/coronavirus

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:

2020 Westberg Institute Annual Conference at the Caring for the Human Spirit Conference April 20-22, 2020 Santa Fe, New Mexico  https://westberginstitute.org/symposium2020/

Health Ministries Association Annual Conference, September 13-15, 2020
One Voice, One Vision: Wisdom for Healthier Communities, Techny Towers Conference and Retreat Center, Techny, IL (Chicagoland)   https://hmassoc.org/

UCC National Youth Event: Youth from across the United Church of Christ are invited to UNITE! at this summer's National Youth Event (NYE), July 22-25 in West Lafayette, Ind. The quadrennial event centered on the four pillars of faith, leadership, service and social justice is returning to the campus of Purdue University, with registration for groups now available on the National Youth Event website. 

The planning team has crafted a number of "Be the Church" small group conversations and more than 60 workshops.
https://www.ucc.org/news_ucc_youth_invited_to_unite_at_nye_2020_02102020

KEEP CONNECTED:

An article, Sacred Space to Talk About Drug Use, in UCC’s Keeping You Posted (KYP) eblast of August 27, 2019, is about Harm Reduction.  Mike Schuenemeyer, Executive for Health and Wholeness Advocacy Ministries oversees this new effort in the national UCC setting to center on the voices of those with lived experience related to opioid and other substance use disorders.  Kudos to Peggy Matteson of the Wellness Ministries Leadership Team for her commentary in the article’s interview.  Peggy represents Wellness Ministries on the UCC task force that is developing tools and resources for congregations’ responses to the opioid crisis. 

Visit our FaceBook and Linked-In pages:
Post comments or share information about your health ministries; join in conversations. 

Contact us: Have something you want to share with your colleagues in the next issue of the newsletter? Are you looking for a resource to assist you in your ministry?  We’d enjoy hearing from you!

Previous issues of the newsletter: 
Use previous year’s monthly newsletters to aid your search for links to resources on health ministries and wellness topics:

Contact us:

• Have something you want to share with your colleagues?
• Are you looking for something to assist you in your ministry? 
• Interested in joining the Leadership Team for the Wellness Ministries of the UCC?

Let us hear from you.

Contact:
Alyson Breisch and/or Deb Stankiewicz

###

Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

January-February 2020, Vol. 5 Issue 1

REFLECTION:

Arise, shine, for the Light of the World has come!  Alleluia! 
We are travelers on life’s journey.
Our lives are filled with turning points,
cycles of change and crisis and transformation. 
The old passes into ever new beginnings. 
We grow, we stand still, we grow again.  

May we invite the fresh light of Epiphany to flood us with hope and lead us into new and challenging ways of living and shaping our wellness ministries. 

HEALTH PROGRAMMING AND OBSERVATION DATES IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY:

JANUARY:

Glaucoma Awareness Month:

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness.  Glaucoma has been called "the sneak thief of sight" since there are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it's permanent. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing.  Early detection is vital to stopping the progress of the disease.

You are considered at high-risk for glaucoma if one or more of these applies to you:

• You have diabetes
• You have a family history of glaucoma
• You are African American and age 50 or older
• You are Hispanic and age 65 or older

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers glaucoma tests once every 12 months if you meet the high-risk criteria for glaucoma. You are responsible for 20% of Medicare’s payment to the provider for the services or, if care is sought in a hospital outpatient setting, a standard copayment.

Free information about types of glaucoma, diagnosis, and treatment can be found at https://www.preventblindness.org/glaucoma

Self-help tools and resource links to low vision organizations, services and websites can be found at the Living Well with Low Vision webpage of Prevent Blindness:   https://lowvision.preventblindness.org/    

Cervical Health Awareness Month

The United States Congress designated January as Cervical Health Awareness Month. Nearly 13,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, but the disease is preventable with vaccination and appropriate screening (Pap and HPV tests). 
https://www.nccc-online.org/hpvcervical-cancer/cervical-health-awareness-month/

Free and low-cost Pap testing can be located for each state at this link:
https://www.nccc-online.org/resources/freelow-cost-pap-testing/?platform=hootsuite

A bulletin board fact sheet on Ten Things to Know About HPV and Cervical Cancer can be downloaded from this link:
https://www.nccc-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/10ThingsHPV_CCAM-1.pdf

FEBRUARY:

Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Low Vision Awareness Month:

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): AMD is very common. It is a leading cause of vision loss in people 50 years or older.   About 80% (8 out of 10) of people who have AMD have the dry form. With dry AMD parts of the macula get thinner with age and tiny clumps of protein called drusen grow causing slow loss of central vision.  There is no way to treat dry AMD yet.

Wet AMD is the other form of AMD.  In this form, new, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina. These vessels may leak blood or other fluids, causing scarring of the macula. Vision loss is faster with wet AMD than with dry AMD.

Many people don’t realize they have AMD until their vision is very blurry. This is why it is important to have regular visits to an ophthalmologist who can look for early signs of AMD.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology provides information on diagnosis and treatment options. 
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/amd-treatment

The National Eye Institute at the Institutes of Health site includes videos, posters, pamphlets and download/print resources:
https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/age-related-macular-degeneration

In addition to AMD, low vision can be associated with diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, and retinitis pigmentosa.  The Vision Center has a resource with helpful tips related to living with low vision including causes of low vision, low vision terms, low vision care, and low vision devices.
http://whatislowvision.org/low-vision-care/tips-for-coping-with-low-vision/

February is American Heart Month:   There are multiple approaches wellness ministries can include in educational programs and individual health coaching. 

1. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is launching #OurHearts, a national initiative to encourage and motivate everyone to adopt heart healthy behaviors together. People are more successful at meeting health goals when they join forces with others. NHLBI have developed weekly themes with outreach toolkit, social media resources and state based infocards to help promote heart health throughout the month.
2. You are invited to Join NHLBI, The Heart Truth, and organizations around the country on National Wear Red Day which is celebrated each year on the first Friday in February. In 2020, National Wear Red Day will be celebrated on February 7.    Since 2004, February also has been the signature month for the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women campaign and the message that heart disease is not only a man's problem.  https://www.goredforwomen.org/
   
   Wellness ministries leaders can invite parishioners to wear red hats, ties, scarves, sweaters, etc. on Sunday, February 9^th to promote awareness of heart disease.  Posters, and social media example phrases for wear red activities can be found at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-month/wear-red-day
   
   
3. The American Heart Association’s website provides educational materials on many aspects of cardiovascular disease in the Health Topics section. The Healthy Living section of the website includes topics related to Healthy Eating, Healthy Lifestyle, and Fitness.   https://www.heart.org
   
   
4. February is a good time to offer blood pressure screening. Proper technique in measuring blood pressure is critical.  The American Medical Association has developed a poster which can be posted at your locations when doing blood pressure assessment.  This infographic for in-office BP measuring offers a simple way to get the most accurate results.   This article: https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/hypertension/one-graphic-you-need-accurate-blood-pressure-reading   offers some additional resources to help you improve your practice’s hypertension management: 

• Read the three questions you should ask patients when measuring their blood pressure. 
• See how you can help patients outside of office visits with self-measured BP monitoring. 
• Understand what the barriers to hypertension control are and how to address them.  
• Know these five things from the 2017 hypertension guideline. 
  
  Faith Community Nurses also educate people on proper technique for home blood pressure monitoring.  Tracking trends over time is valuable information that can be shared at each health provider visit.  The Health Quality Innovators (HQI), the Medicare Quality Innovation Net-work-Quality Improvement Organization for Maryland and Virginia, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed a poster, 7 Simple Tips to Get An Accurate Blood Pressure Reading at Home.  This poster can be downloaded, printed and shared with those you are teaching to do self-assessment of the blood pressure.  https://www.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/evidencenow/heart-health/blood-pressure-home-measure.pdf

National Children's Dental Health Month:  

The American Dental Association has developed the February 2020 National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) Program Planning Guide.  This year’s NCDHM campaign slogan, “Fluoride in water prevents cavities! Get it from the tap!”   The link for the Planning Guide is ADA.org/ncdhm.

The planning guide offers Ideas for Easy-to-Do Activities such as coloring contests, dental health essay contests, classroom presentations, oral health bulletin boards, reaching out to community groups, parents and teens, participating in health fairs and dental screenings in collaboration with dental associations and clinics. 

Fun Activity Sheets for Kids in English and Spanish include crossword puzzles, calendar activities, coloring sheet, and a maze activity sheet. They are available at:

https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month

INTRODUCING A NEW SECTION OF THE NEWSLETTER:

“WELLNESS MINISTRIES MOMENT”

A new section added to this issue will become a regular part of each newsletter.   The plan is to share examples of health-promotion activities and tips that may be useful additions to wellness ministries and faith community nursing approaches.  It will include topics related to wellness across the lifespan.  The editors will start this issue’s topic and we hope that readers will submit ideas they have used to include in this sharing space. 

Here’s this month’s Wellness ministries MOMENT . . .

To Your Health!

A Wellness Ministries at a UCC congregation uses the phrase, “To Your Health” for a combination of offerings on a monthly health topic.  The monthly discussion session is scheduled for the first Sunday of the month from 12:10 pm -12:45 pm.  Light, healthy snacks are provided.  The topic is discussed in a presentation / question and answer format.  Parishioners are asked at each session to suggest future topics.  The topic also is focused on that month’s bulletin board display over the remaining three weeks of the month.  The faith community nurse writes a short To Your Health! column for the faith community’s newsletter with key points about the topic.

As an example, one month the featured  topic was “Unraveling the Mysteries of Sleep”.  The discussion, bulletin board display, and newsletter article included myths and facts about sleep, benefits of sleep, effects of sleep deprivation, sleep patterns in the elderly, helpful sleep hygiene tips, and links to online resources. 

WE INVITE YOU TO SHARE AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO WELLNESS MINISTRIES.  SEND US A NOTE DESCRIBING YOUR WELLNESS MINISTRIES MOMENT AND WATCH FOR IT IN A FUTURE ISSUE OF Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness.

ON-LINE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES / EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING :   

WEBINAR: State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America   January 29, 2020 │ 2:30 PM EST

Join public health leaders as they discuss the national obesity crisis, its health impacts, and how advocates are working at the national, and local levels can address this on-going epidemic. This webinar explores findings of The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) 2019 State of Obesity report.  

The report found that about 1 in 3 Americans of all ages - more than 100 million people - have obesity. The epidemic is estimated to increase national healthcare spending by $149 billion annually, about half of which is paid for by Medicare and Medicaid. Moreover, the rates of U.S. obesity continue to climb, and racial, ethnic, income and geographic disparities persist. For the first time, nine U.S. states (AL, AK, IA, KY, LA, MS, MO, ND and WV) had adult obesity rates at or above 35% in 2018, up from zero states as recently as 2012.

This event is recommended for anyone working in public health, advocacy, school health, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, transportation and planning, hospitals, health systems, insurers, and local and state health officials.   Registration is free and closed captioning is available to all attendees.  The webinar session will include time for audience Q&A.  Wednesday, January 29, 2020   2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Eastern   11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Pacific. 

RSVP at this link: 
https://publichealthinstitute.webex.com/publichealthinstitute/onstage/g.php?MTID=e7b9a02538b9149954fec48cee0217953 

Upcoming Conferences:

2020 Westberg Institute Annual Conference at the Caring for the Human Spirit Conference April 20-22, 2020 Santa Fe, New Mexico   https://westberginstitute.org/symposium2020/

Save the Date!
Health Ministries Association Annual Conference
September 13-15, 2020

One Voice, One Vision: Wisdom for Healthier Communities,
Techny Towers Conference and Retreat Center
Techny, IL (Chicagoland)
https://hmassoc.org/

KEEP CONNECTED:

An article, Sacred Space to Talk About Drug Use, in UCC’s Keeping You Posted (KYP) eblast of August 27, 2019, is about Harm Reduction.  Mike Schuenemeyer, Executive for Health and Wholeness Advocacy Ministries oversees this new effort in the national UCC setting to center on the voices of those with lived experience related to opioid and other substance use disorders.  Kudos to Peggy Matteson of the Wellness Ministries Leadership Team for her commentary in the article’s interview.  Peggy represents Wellness Ministries on the UCC task force that is developing tools and resources for congregations’ responses to the opioid crisis. 

Visit our FaceBook and Linked-In pages:
Post comments or share information about your health ministries; join in conversations. 

Contact us: Have something you want to share with your colleagues in the next issue of the newsletter? Are you looking for a resource to assist you in your ministry?  We’d enjoy hearing from you!

Previous issues of the newsletter: 
Use previous year’s monthly newsletters to aid your search for links to resources on health ministries and wellness topics:

Contact us:

• Have something you want to share with your colleagues?
• Are you looking for something to assist you in your ministry? 
• Interested in joining the Leadership Team for the Wellness Ministries of the UCC?

Let us hear from you.

Contact:
Alyson Breisch and/or Deb Stankiewicz

###

Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

November – December 2019, Vol. 4 Issue 7

Reflection: 

“You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy.”
- Psalm 65:11-12 (NRSV).

Ah, autumn. . .  fields of bright orange pumpkins;  mountain ridges bursting in brilliant colors of autumn;  harvest wheat rolls gathered in farm fields; falling leaves beginning nature’s composting for next spring’s blossoms.  Let us celebrate the season . . . with thanksgiving for health, family and friends and move into Advent and Christmastide with a sense of anticipation and childlike wonder. 

HEALTH PROGRAMMING AND OBSERVATION DATES:

NOVEMBER:

American Diabetes Month.  
Diabetes is a nationwide epidemic.  Approximately 30 million children and adults have diabetes in the United States.   1.5 million Americans are newly diagnosed with diabetes every year.  Approximately 1.25 million American children and adults have type 1 diabetes.   Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2015.  The effects of diabetes on the  cardiovascular system, renal function, and vision are well known.  A recent study found that hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes as it is in those who don't have the disease. Of the 84 million adults in the U.S. who have prediabetes, the rate of hearing loss is 30 percent higher than in those with normal blood glucose.  The relationship is not yet defined but it may the small blood vessels of the ear are affected similarly as those affecting the kidneys and eyes.  The American Diabetes Association has information on Type I and Type II Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes.  https://www.diabetes.org/

You can take the association’s 60 second Type 2 risk test.   https://www.diabetes.org/risk-test

National Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month.   
16 million people have been diagnosed with COPD and millions of others do not realize they may have it. While smoking is the number one cause of COPD in the United States, genetic factors can also contribute to its development.   Twenty five percent of those diagnosed are not associated with direct tobacco smoking.   The National Institutes of Health has developed a COPD National Action Plan.  This booklet starts with a section on “What to Know About COPD” and then discusses the five goals set by the NIH

Empower people with COPD, their families, and caregivers to recognize and reduce the burden of COPD.

Improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of COPD by improving the quality of care delivered across the health care continuum.

Collect, analyze, report, and disseminate COPD-related public health data that drive change and track progress.

Increase and sustain research to better understand the prevention, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and management of COPD.

Translate national policy, educational, and program recommendations into research and public health care actions.

A copy can be downloaded from the NIH website:  https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/media/docs/COPD%20National%20Action%20Plan%20508_0.pdf

National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. 
BECOME A DEMENTIA FRIEND

Many people think of dementia as a disease. In fact, Dementia is a set of symptoms involving memory and cognitive function that indicate disease of the brain. November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Although Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common disease of this type, there are many other diseases that may be responsible for the symptoms including Lewy Body Dementia, Frontotemporal and Vascular dementia. People with diseases of dementia need understanding and compassionate care. This is greatly facilitated when those who care for them and live in community with them are educated about the symptoms and behaviors associated with dementing diseases.  Using the most effective communication strategies with affected individuals promotes good care in communities and allows individuals with the disease to be well-supported.

DEMENTIA FRIENDS is a global movement developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom and is now underway in the United States. The goal is to help everyone in a community understand five key messages about dementia, how it affects people and how we can make a difference in the lives of people living with the disease.  The training is about 1 hour 15 minutes long and works well for a Sunday morning church seminar. Information on offering Dementia Friend Training or on Becoming a Dementia Friend can be found at:

https://dementiafriendsusa.org

https://dementiafriendsusa.org/state-licensure

https://dementiafriendsusa.org/sessions-your-state

National Family Caregivers Month.
November is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. This year’s theme is “Caregiving Around the Clock.”  

According to The Family Caregiver Alliance, National Center on Caregiving, “About 44 million Americans provide 37 billion hours of unpaid, "informal" care each year for adult family members and friends with chronic illnesses or conditions that prevent them from handling daily activities such as bathing, managing medications or preparing meals on their own.” Churches are uniquely positioned to support caregivers.  Faith Community Nurses and Pastors might provide such support by offering a Caregiver Support Group, providing respite volunteers or connecting members with caregiving resources. Our inclination is to ask caregivers how the family member they care for is doing but to forget to ask of the caregiver, “How are you doing?” Simply being intentional about asking how the caregiver is doing is an easy way to support them. Below are some websites and books that can provide useful information and support to caregivers.

• Resources on Caregiving:

https://www.caregiver.org/caregiving

https://www.alz.org

https://www.usa.gov/disability-caregiver

• Put Your Mask 0n First: The Caregiver's Guide to Self-Care by Dr. Gary Bradt and Scott Silknitter

How to Care for Aging Parents, 3rd Edition: A One-Stop Resource for All Your Medical, Financial, Housing, and Emotional Issues by Virginia Morris (Author), Jennie Chin Hansen (Foreword)

• Resource on Mental Health Caregiving:

In 2016 a study, On Pins and Needles: Caregivers of Adults with Mental Illness, was conducted with the assistance of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America.  This was the first national survey of mental health caregivers conducted in the United States and identified numerous challenges faced by these caregivers. The Caregiving Organization provides a resource to address the challenges identified in this study: Circle of Care: A Guidebook for Mental Health Caregivers.  It includes 12 fact sheets with useful information. 

http://www.caregiving.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CircleOfCareReport_Final-Web_December-2017.pdf

National Hospice and Palliative Care Month:
CaringInfo, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, provides free resources to help people make decisions about end-of-life care and services before a crisis.   Resources related to hospice care, palliative care, advance care planning, caregiving, and grief and loss are included in the Patients and Caregivers section of the website: https://www.nhpco.org/patients-and-caregivers/

Check the Resources section for downloadable resources related to Advance Directives, Planning Ahead, Caregiving, End of Life Care, Grief, Pain, Pediatric, Professional Resources, Serious Illness, and  Spanish/English Bilingual Resources: https://www.nhpco.org/patients-and-caregivers/resources/

• The National Institute on Aging has a site focused on Advance Care Planning:
  Healthcare Directives which includes an explanation of advance planning, a 3-minute video, and a downloadable pdf infographic:  https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planning-healthcare-directives

DECEMBER:

World AIDS Day:   
Around the world, about 37 million people are living with HIV. In the United States, about 38,500 people get infected with HIV every year.  World AIDS Day takes place on 1 December each year.  It’s an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day.

World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.    https://www.worldaidsday.org/

The red ribbon is the universal symbol of awareness and support for people living with HIV. Wearing a ribbon is a great way to raise awareness on and during the run up to World AIDS Day.  You may consider hosting a forum with a local public health official to discuss HIV prevention and the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, include an article in your next newsletter to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS, and encourage your members to find an HIV testing location.

Safe Toys and Gifts Month: 
Choosing safe toys is important at this time of holidays and gift giving.  According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year hospital emergency rooms treat an estimated 251,700 toy-related injuries throughout the United States. Most of the injuries affect children under the age of 15.  Each year, thousands of children age 14 and younger suffered serious eye injuries, even blindness, from toys.  Prevent Blindness offers a Safe Toy Checklist  https://www.preventblindness.org/safe-toy-checklist

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) closely monitors and regulates toys. Any toys made in or imported into the United States after 1995 must follow CPSC standards.   The CPSC website is currently undergoing maintenance and is unavailable.  In this interim, you can check this other site for tips on safe toy selections for various ages, how to keep toys safe in the home, and how to report unsafe toys.  https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/safe-toys.html

National Handwashing Awareness Week December 1–7:

Scrubby Bear Says. . .

 By Deb Stankiewicz, Faith Community Nurse

“Wash up quick, don’t get sick”. At the First Congregational Church of Western Springs I make monthly visits to the children in the church preschool to teach them about taking care of their health. Introducing them to the Scrubby Bear method of handwashing is by far my favorite lesson to teach! It is scheduled before the flu season starts each year, so they get lots of practice before the fall viruses hit. The method teaches the five critical steps of effective handwashing: wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry. It assures that there is a 20 second handwashing as recommended by the CDC by using counting or singing of a song such as Happy Birthday while washing. The final step in my lesson is to give the children a picture of Scrubby Bear to color with the recommendation to hang it in the bathroom at home as a reminder to wash their hands. I also charge them with the homework of going home and teaching the process to their family members.

December 1-7 is Handwashing Awareness Week.
Imagine that!  A whole week dedicated to the importance of proper handwashing! I was surprised to see such a mundane task highlighted as an event. It makes sense to me for a few reasons.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls hand washing "a do-it-yourself vaccine"

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, handwashing can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related illnesses and 1 in 5 infections, including the flu.

The CDC also reports that only 31 percent of men and 65 percent of women washed their hands after using a public restroom.

I have personally observed that many adults, especially in restrooms, do not follow the five critical steps of effective handwashing if they wash at all. So, use the “do-it-yourself vaccine” and wash the Scrubby Bear way!

https://nationaltoday.com/national-handwashing-awareness-week/

https://chicagoredcrossstories.wordpress.com/2010/  Note:  enter “Scrubby Bear” in Search window.

Influenza Vaccination Week December 1–7:

Flu season is here.  Local flu activity is already being reported in several states.  Here are some key points from the Centers for Disease Control:

Remind people that even though the holiday season has begun, it is not too late to get a flu vaccine.  

As long as flu viruses are spreading and causing illness, vaccination should continue throughout flu season in order to protect as many people as possible against flu.

Vaccination efforts should continue through the holiday season and beyond. It’s not too late to vaccinate.

While vaccination is recommended before the end of October, getting vaccinated later can still be beneficial during most seasons for people who have put it off.

The Center for Disease Control is promoting information about seasonal flu and encouraging increased vaccination rates.  This main webpage gives information on preventing flu, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and maps indicating flu activity and surveillance: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/     Near the right bottom corner of the page is the link for the Flu Vaccine Finder which uses zip code to locate flu vaccine clinics near you. Simply enter your zip code or city and state to find locations of flu vaccine clinics.

The CDC website has several graphics in English and Spanish that you can use on your websites, bulletin boards and printed materials: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/nivw/webtools.htm

This section of the CDC website identifies people at high risk from flu, health and age factors that are known to increase a person’s risk of getting serious complications from the flu, and information for specific high risk groups: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/index.htm

National Older Driver Safety Awareness Week December 2–6:  
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” Ecclesiastes 3 (ESV).  When should I stop driving? When should my parent stop driving? Having a driver’s license is not only a lifelong symbol of independence but somewhat of a necessity for independence for most of us. So, when these questions arise, there is often a great deal of stress and unhappiness. The answer rests in another question; am I or is my parent safe while driving? Some people have an inherent knowing about when they are no longer safe driving. If there is doubt however, there are Driver Safety Classes and Safe Driver Evaluations beyond a DMV test that can support decision-making. Check out the following resources for help with Driving Safety for Older Adults.

https://www.aarp.org/auto/driver-safety

https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/older-drivers

https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/older-drivers

https://www.aarp.org/auto/driver-safety/info-2016/when-to-stop-driving-in-older-age.html

https://www.caring.com/caregivers/senior-driving/

Advent and Longest Night Worship:
Amidst the joy, anticipation, and celebration of the Advent season and Christmas, many people are coping with loss, pain, suffering, loneliness, grief, and sadness.  A worship service of consolation and hope offered on the evening of the longest night (on or about December 21st – the winter solstice) can provide a quiet, prayerful time for remembrance, consolation, and comfort.   While the term “Blue Christmas worship service” has been used to identify these services, using the term, “The Longest Night worship service”, emphasizes God’s abiding presence and light that dwells within the darkness.  Features of the service may include lighting the Advent candles,  participative litanies and prayers, and opportunity for individuals to light a votive candle in honor of a loved one or as part of their own prayers for healing and hope.  Examples of hymns and scripture may include a solo of In the Bleak Midwinter, readings from Isaiah 40:1-5: “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God” and John 1:1-5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”   The poem Blessing for the Longest Night, by Jan Richardson, may be included as a reflection in the program. There are examples of Longest Night services searchable on the internet. 

ON-LINE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES / EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING:   

The Dignity in Aging Act of 2019, H.R. 4334, has been passed by the US House of Representatives. 
The bill reauthorizes the Older Americans Act.  The bill maintains funding for the work of the long-term care ombudsman program and continued authority for the National Center on Elder Abuse and National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC).   The bill was received in the  Senate 10/29/2019.  It was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.  A fact sheet on the bill is available: https://files.constantcontact.com/59aae830301/daa92449-d886-4920-885a-a1dff29c5319.pdf

Palliative Care webinar:
The National Coalition offers a free webinar titled “Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition”.   https://www.nationalcoalitionhpc.org/ncp-webinar/

This webinar includes a webinar recording and a handout.  It discusses: the definition of palliative care and key concepts; how the 4th edition was developed, eight domains of palliative care, including changes from the 3rd edition: practical applications of the guidelines across care settings, and strategies to implement the guidelines within your practice setting. 

Trust for America’s Health has produced a report titled Addressing a Crisis:
Cross-Sector Strategies to Prevent Adolescent Substance Use and Suicide.  It is part of their Pain in the Nation series.  John Auerbach, President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health  notes that “Adolescence is a challenging time when the impact of poverty, discrimination, bullying and isolation can be intense. Fortunately, there are policies and programs that can reduce some of these circumstances and the risks associated with them by strengthening teens’ coping and emotional-skills – skills that can improve their health and led to their succeeding in schools.”  You can access the report here: https://www.tfah.org/report-details/adsandadolescents/

Upcoming Conferences:

2020 Westberg Institute Annual Conference at the Caring for the Human Spirit Conference
April 20-22, 2020 Santa Fe, New Mexico 

Save the Date! Health Ministries Association Annual Conference,
September 13-15, 2020

One Voice, One Vision: Wisdom for Healthier Communities,
Techny Towers Conference and Retreat Center, Techny, IL (Chicagoland)

KEEP CONNECTED:

An article, Sacred Space to Talk About Drug Use, in UCC’s Keeping You Posted (KYP) eblast of August 27, 2019, is about Harm Reduction.  Mike Schuenemeyer, Executive for Health and Wholeness Advocacy Ministries oversees this new effort in the national UCC setting to center on the voices of those with lived experience related to opioid and other substance use disorders.  Kudos to Peggy Matteson of the Wellness Ministries Leadership Team for her commentary in the article’s interview.  Peggy represents Wellness Ministries on the UCC task force that is developing tools and resources for congregations’ responses to the opioid crisis. 

Visit our FaceBook and Linked-In pages:
Post comments or share information about your health ministries; join in conversations. 

Contact us: Have something you want to share with your colleagues in the next issue of the newsletter? Are you looking for a resource to assist you in your ministry?  We’d enjoy hearing from you!

Previous issues of the newsletter: 
Use previous year’s monthly newsletters to aid your search for links to resources on health ministries and wellness topics:

Contact us:

• Have something you want to share with your colleagues?
• Are you looking for something to assist you in your ministry? 
• Interested in joining the Leadership Team for the Wellness Ministries of the UCC?

Let us hear from you.

Contact:
Alyson Breisch and/or Deb Stankiewicz

###

A racial justice expert from the national staff of the United Church of Christ will help emcee an "action summit" in Cleveland, declaring racism a public health crisis and marking the arrival of enslaved Africans in North America 400 years ago.

Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

September-October 2019, Volume 4, Issue 6

MUSINGS:

"The breezes taste of apple peel.
The air is full of smells to feel -
Ripe fruit, old footballs, burning brush,
New books, erasers, chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive, well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean with suds,
the days are polished with a morning haze."
                   - John Updike, September

HEALTH PROGRAMMING AND OBSERVATION DATES IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER:

September:

Return to School:  This topic was covered in the last issue of the newsletter; “thank you” to a reader who sent us this additional resource - 5 Tips to Ease Back-to-School Anxiety - to assist with anxiety associated with children’s return to school: 

At this time of the year, children are beginning a new school year and adults may be starting new jobs or new projects.  It can be difficult to find times to be together and support each other.  This may strain family dynamics.  The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension has a valuable article, "Building Strong Family Relationships." 

National Preparedness Month:  As this newsletter is being written, Hurricane Dorian is moving toward the eastern coast of Florida.  May all those in its path be safe.  Preparation for natural disasters is always a relevant health ministries educational and procedural response topic.  The Red Cross offers an Emergency Preparedness Checklist:

FEMA’s program, Be Prepared, Not Scared has different web-based resources for each week of the month: https://www.ready.gov/september

            Week One:  Save Early for Disaster Costs

            Week Two:  Make a Plan to Prepare for Disasters

            Week Three:  Teach Youth to Prepare for Disasters

            Week Four:  Get Involved in Your Community’s Preparedness 

Home Safety:  Speaking of preparation, the heating season will soon be upon us. It’s time to think about having your furnace checked by a service company for proper functioning and proper venting of carbon monoxide.  When clocks are turned back an hour on Sunday, November 3^rd, it’s a good time to also check home smoke and CO detectors - making sure smoke and CO detectors have new batteries and are functioning.   Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas.  This Mayo Clinic tip sheet alerts you to symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Flu Season 2019:  It’s time to talk about flu immunization.  The CDC has a Vaccine Information Sheet for this current immunization period. 

The American Lung Association Year of Air Pollution and Health offers health information each month. The topic for September is Health Impacts of Extreme Storms and the topic for October is: Empowering the Next Generation.

The American Nurses Association (ANA: The American Nurses Association 2019 National Awards program is now accepting nominations. ANA members are encouraged to acknowledge the achievements of ANA members in the following categories: Distinguished Practice in Nursing, Diversity in Nursing, Nurse Exemplars, and Nursing Champions.  Is there a faith community nurse you know who is a good candidate for one of these awards?  The deadline to submit an award nomination is 5 p.m. ET, Oct. 7. To learn more about the awards, visit the National Awards Program page on NursingWorld.org

The National Health Information Center offers a useful resource for identifying designated health- and illness-focused months, weeks, or days and provides a link to information related to each month’s health observances.

   Here are a few links selected from their September listing:

      National Food Safety Education Month

      National Sickle Cell Month

      Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

      Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

      National Recovery Month 

October:

Medicare Open Enrollment Period begins on October 15, 2019, and ends December 7, 2019. Medicare health and drug plan costs and covered benefits can change from year to year, so people with Medicare should look at their coverage choices and decide on the options that best fit their health needs.  They can visit Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or contact their State Health Insurance Assistance Program.  

Medicare has created a new Medicare Plan Finder.  This most-used tool on Medicare.gov, allows users to shop and compare Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to relaunch the Medicare Plan Finder website on Sept. 2. 

The National Health Information Center offers a useful resource for identifying designated health- and illness-focused months, weeks, or days and provides a link to information related to each month’s health observances.

   Here are a few links selected from their October listing:

      Domestic Violence Awareness Month

      National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

      Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month

      Eye Injury Prevention Month

Halloween Safety: Halloween is an exciting time for children, and it is also a time to focus on their safety.  Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year.  The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed a list of Halloween safety tips about costume safety, pumpkin carving, on the Trick or Treat Trail, keeping Halloween healthy, and reminders about food allergies. 

Other resources include:

National Safety Council on Halloween Safety

Children’s Safety Network on Halloween Safety

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING:

Webinar: The Partnership Center of the Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services is offering a free webinar: Mental Illness 101 & Family Health Series | Postpartum Depression: Help Hope, and Healing on September 25, 2019 at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time). 

Description: The Partnership Center’s “Postpartum Depression: Help, Hope, and Healing” webinar will be the third installment in their Family Health educational series, and is squarely at the intersection of women’s health and mental health.

For registration click here.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center: 

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center is offering a free online course, Locating and Understanding Data for Suicide Prevention. The course explores a variety of commonly used data sources for information on suicide deaths and attempts, suicidal ideation, and related factors - as well as new frontiers in suicide surveillance, such as interactive dashboards and real-time data collection.  The 2-hour course is recommended for any professional involved in national, state or community suicide prevention. 

Annual Health Ministries and Faith Community Nursing Conference:  The Health Ministries Association’s 30^th Anniversary Conference is scheduled for October 11 – 14, 2019 at St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center, 3861 Olympic Blvd., Erlanger, KY.  The theme is Faith-Based Approaches to Cultivate Healthier Communities.  To download the brochure, click here.

To register, click here.

ATTENTION:  If you are attending the HMA Conference, please let Alyson Breisch know (alyson.breisch@gmail.com).  There will be a UCC denominational meeting Saturday, September 12^th at 7:30 pm.  Alyson will let you know the room location for the meeting. 

BOOK REVIEW:

1. J. Dana Trent’s new book, Dessert First: Preparing for Death While Savoring Life, will be published Sept. 10^th by Chalice Press. Trent will be a keynote speaker and workshop presenter at the Health Ministries Association (HMA) 30^th Anniversary Conference and Celebration in October.  Other books by J. Dana Trent include One Breath at a Time: A Skeptic’s Guide to Christian Meditation; For Sabbath’s Sake: Embracing Your Need for Rest, Worship, and Community; and Saffron Cross: The Unlikely Story of How a Christian Minister Married a Hindu Monk.

KEEP CONNECTED:

An article, Sacred Space to Talk About Drug Use, in UCC’s Keeping You Posted (KYP) eblast of August 27, 2019, is about Harm Reduction.  Mike Schuenemeyer, Executive for Health and Wholeness Advocacy Ministries oversees this new effort in the national UCC setting to center on the voices of those with lived experience related to opioid and other substance use disorders.  Kudos to Peggy Matteson of the Wellness Ministries Leadership Team for her commentary in the article’s interview.  Peggy represents Wellness Ministries on the UCC task force that is developing tools and resources for congregations’ responses to the opioid crisis. 

Visit our FaceBook and Linked-In pages: Post comments or share information about your health ministries; join in conversations. 

Contact us: Have something you want to share with your colleagues in the next issue of the newsletter? Are you looking for a resource to assist you in your ministry?  We’d enjoy hearing from you!

Previous issues of the newsletter: 
Use previous year’s monthly newsletters to aid your search for links to resources on health ministries and wellness topics:

Contact us:

• Have something you want to share with your colleagues?
• Are you looking for something to assist you in your ministry? 
• Interested in joining the Leadership Team for the Wellness Ministries of the UCC?

Let us hear from you.

Contact:
Alyson Breisch and/or Deb Stankiewicz

###

People who use drugs may not come to mind immediately when United Church of Christ members think of values like Extravagant Welcome or Love of Neighbor. A growing community of UCC people is working to change that.