Helping to cope with serious illnesses
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It can be overwhelming to be diagnosed with a serious illness. You may not know what questions to ask or what will happen next.
This month's Family Matters community education program, "Diagnosed with a Serious Illness? What to do Next" will offer patients and family members strategies for handling the emotional, financial and medical aspects of facing the diagnosis of a chronic or progressive disease.
"When you are diagnosed with a chronic illness, such as emphysema, kidney disease, heart failure or cancer, there is a lot of medical care involved," said Liz Fracchia, RN, Palliative Care Program Coordinator at Backus. "We want people to know what resources are available to them."
She also will discuss reliable online resources for research about illnesses, what types of questions to ask to better understand your insurance coverage and what the next steps may be.
Barbara Sinko, RN, will talk about what happens if your are hospitalized and you have a crisis, and Maryann Duchene, RN, will discuss the services and resources that Backus Home Health Care offers. She also will offer coping tips for dealing with a diagnosis.
The Family Matters series, which is organized by the Backus Education Department, is held the second Thursday of each month, through June, from 6:30-8 p.m. Coming in March: "Strains, Sprains and Pains in the Back."
If you want to go
What: Family Matters: "Diagnosed with a Serious Illness? What to do Next"
When: Thursday, Feb. 11, from 6:30-8 p.m.
Where: Backus Hospital entry level conference rooms.
For more information and to register, call 889-8331, ext. 2495. Light refreshments are provided.