Blog Archives

Health Maintenance and Risk Management

1/22/2021

Terry Hinson is a retired Cardiac Nurse, current ESL tutor, and Spanish language student.

Health maintenance is an ongoing endeavor that involves effort and surveillance. After many years in the healthcare field, I have come to value the benefits of prevention. Many illnesses and accidents can be prevented with the application of some relatively simple measures. Thoughtful choices including a healthy diet, a smoke-free lifestyle, regular exercise, and an engaging spiritual life bring lasting effects to one’s quality of life.

Falls are the leading cause of death when it comes to home accidents. They make up a third of all fatalities to people over 65 years old. According to the Center for Disease Control, “Each year 3 million older people are treated in Emergency Departments for fall injuries.” Accidents in the home claim 18,000 lives each year in America alone. It also accounts for 21 million medical visits annually, which costs a staggering $220 million a year. Some trip and fall injuries are minor, causing only bruising or mild abrasions. However, it’s always best to see a doctor just to be sure, especially if you hit your head.

So, how do we minimize the risk? Look around your house for trip/fall hazards. Staircases are especially dangerous and should have good lighting, be clutter-free, and have a sturdy, secure handrail. Other suggestions include wearing sensible footwear and avoiding ladders. With small children in the home, consider safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. Bathrooms should have non-slip mats near tubs and showers.

An ounce of prevention is much more than a pound of cure. Take a moment and think about the safety of your body––and your soul.

For more information of home safety:

Home Safety Tips: A Comprehensive Resource

Best Home Safety Tips

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Introducing the Health & Healing Blog

1/15/2021

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Father Fred
Vice Rector

In last week’s introduction to Soul Care, one of the initiatives that I identified was the creation of a new blog, devoted to Health & Healing. A link to the blog will appear in The Shepherd's Voice and the articles will be archived here.

Taking a holistic view of God’s healing work in our lives, the blog is dedicated to the proposition that God’s healing work touches on every aspect of our lives. The spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of our lives cannot be treated as discrete concerns, nor should we live as if they are.

For that reason, we will feature a variety of contributors and the articles will touch on a wide-ranging number of topics. While the articles are not meant to be a substitute for other resources or “the last word” on the subjects to which they are devoted, we do hope that they will be helpful windows into an authentically Christian way of thinking about ourselves and our lives.

Many thanks to our first contributor and a member of the Good Shepherd community, Vicki Norwood.

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Mind, Body, Spirit: What's the Connection?

1/15/2021

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Vicki Norwood, BSW, spent over 35 years as a Social Worker working with adults with long term behavioral health challenges, in Community mental health settings. She has also worked as a Mental health program administrator.

Now that the festivities of the Christmas season are in the rearview mirror, I would like to take a moment and wish each of you a very Happy New Year! This past year has been so full of challenges it’s not difficult to figure out why we looked forward to 2021: a clean slate, a fresh start!

In this new year many of us hope to find some normalcy in family, work, school, and social routines. More importantly, we may also be struggling to deal with the losses we have experienced. So many have lost loved ones and have not been able to gather with family to grieve, or even to have a funeral. Families have lost businesses, or jobs, and are struggling to figure out next steps while managing their financial obligations.

Interpersonal relationships have suffered greatly and many have been isolated from those they love, and struggle with a new level of loneliness, as nursing homes and congregate living facilities struggle to keep their residents well. We have longed for the togetherness we had pre-COVID, of being able to gather in person with family, friends, church, and community. This past year has been incredibly stressful, as people struggle to accomplish all that we must, yet having to be more creative, safe, and distant in the process. The anxiety is real!

So how does all of this affect us, physically, emotionally, and spiritually? I have spent most of my life as a social worker in the mental health field. I can tell you from my experience, as well as the research, that there is a strong connection between the mind and body. Our mental and physical wellness are very much linked together. Spirituality and our relationship with the Lord are intertwined as well.

Although navigating through the challenges COVID creates is difficult, there is hope and some conscious changes we can make that will give us more of the control over our lives that many of us are seeking.

As we go forward, I hope you find some of the information contained in the links above helpful in navigating through this difficult time. Cheers to the new year, may it bring us into safer, healthier times where we can return to that sense of community, friendship, and worship we are all missing.

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Health Maintenance and Risk Management

Introducing the Health & Healing Blog

Mind, Body, Spirit: What's the Connection?

Health & Healing

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