Well-Being

CARE NOTES

The Deacons are providing a variety of Care Notes that may help you or someone you know with guidance, support, and building a relationship with God to help you/them through tough times. The selection ranges from children to adults and covers topics such as prayer, illnesses, death, betrayal, rejection, and sorrow. The Care Notes are located outside the Edith Boyd Lounge. Please feel free to take one.

Alzheimers and Dementia Information and Courses

Last spring members of the Deacons Committee attended several presentations given by the Alzheimer’s Association. The Deacons collected useful information which they want to share with members of the congregation. These resources can be found in folders in the church office behind the yellow Deacon folders and they are labeled “Alzheimer’s Education Series”. Please do not remove this information from the office, but feel free to photocopy anything that may be of use or contact the Alzheimer’s Association using the contact number given on their literature. If you have access to the internet the Alzheimer’s Association has the following websites that may be useful:



                                National website: www.alz.org

                                Greater Indiana Chapter: www.alz.org/Indiana

In our August newsletter, we included a bookmark called “The Ten Absolutes” from Jo Huey’s book, Alzheimer’s Disease: Help and Hope, which gives some excellent suggestions on how to interact with someone experiencing significant memory loss.



An Alzheimer’s support group meets at Rittenhouse Senior Living of Michigan City on the third Wednesday of every month at 2:00 P.M. which might also be helpful.



Some of us have friends or family members who have some form of memory loss or we know of a caregiver who may need information or support.   Perhaps you can let them know about these resources that are available.



Please help the Deacons with our mission of compassion and care by sharing this information.



                                                                Working together to show Christ’s love, Lois Miley, Deacon Moderator

Ask for Prayer

"I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” NIV Romans 15:30

Sometimes, we find ourselves in a situation where we would like to reach out for others to pray for us or our loved ones, just as Paul did. This can be done by contacting the Prayer Chain Coordinator, Kim Huffman.

7 SIMPLE HABITS FOR A HEALTHY HEART

Sometimes if a little bit is good, more is even better—especially when it comes to healthy habits and heart disease. In fact, the American Heart Association (AHA) has pinpointed seven habits that contribute to a healthy heart. Follow one or two and you are doing your heart some good. Do all seven, and you are doing your heart even better.

1) Manage blood pressure. High blood pressure is the most significant risk factor for heart disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80.

2) Get active. Getting moderate exercise 30 minutes a day helps reduce the risk for heart disease because it helps lower blood pressure, increase good cholesterol, control blood sugar, and control body weight.

3) Control cholesterol. Too much “bad” cholesterol in the blood can clog arteries, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke. Get your cholesterol checked. If your total cholesterol is above 200 mg/dl, follow your doctor’s advice for lowering it.

4) Eat better. Vegetables, fruits, whole grain products, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products pack a powerful nutrient punch without a lot of calories. Include more of these foods and reduce your intake of highly processed and high-fat foods and salt.

5) Lose weight. Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease. Visit www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi to find your body mass index (BMI). If it is 25 or higher, start losing excess pounds.

6) Reduce blood sugar. Adults with diabetes are more likely to have heart disease than those without it. Get your blood sugar level checked. If it is higher than 100 mg/dl, follow your doctor’s advice.

7) Stop smoking. Smoking increases the risk for heart disease, especially if you have other risk factors.

The AHA has an online tool called My Life Check. Visit www.mylifecheck.heart.org to see how you stack up against Life’s Simple 7 and get advice for improving your own heart health. Take care of you.

From the American Heart Association and your congregational nurse.