About Sangre de Cristo Community Care

Become a Volunteer with St. Joseph Hospice: Make a Difference Today!Volunteering with St. Joseph Hospice is an opportunity to profoundly impact the lives of individuals and families during some of their most challenging moments. As a hospice volunteer, you will help create an environment of hope, courage, and compassion for patients facing terminal illnesses and their loved ones. By dedicating your time and skills, you can provide invaluable emotional support and companionship that makes a lasting difference.Why Join the St. Joseph Hospice Volunteer Team?Volunteers play a vital role in the mission of St. Joseph Hospice. They enrich the lives of patients by offering comfort, assisting with practical needs, and simply being present. Whether you have a knack for planning activities, offering companionship, or providing administrative assistance, there is a place for you on our team.To ensure our volunteers are well-prepared, we offer a comprehensive Hospice Volunteer Training Program. This training equips you to understand the unique needs of hospice patients and their families, preparing you to bring comfort and a sense of normalcy to their lives.What Can You Do as a Volunteer?St. Joseph Hospice volunteers bring diverse skills to a variety of roles. Depending on your interests and experience, you could engage in: Companionship Visits: Spend time with patients, providing a comforting presence. Activity Planning: Organize recreational activities to brighten patients' days. Office Support: Assist with administrative tasks to ensure smooth operations. Health Fairs and Special Events: Help manage outreach events to promote awareness. Special Projects: Contribute your unique talents to meet the needs of patients and staff. Who Should Apply?We welcome individuals with various backgrounds and experiences. Ideal candidates might have experience in nursing home volunteering, direct-care support, or activity coordination. More importantly, we seek compassionate individuals with a genuine desire to help others.Volunteers must meet a few essential qualifications to ensure theyre ready for this meaningful role: Confidentiality: Respecting patients privacy is critical. Volunteers must commit to maintaining confidentiality and sign an agreement to this effect. Good Health: Assignments are tailored to your physical capabilities to ensure your safety and the well-being of those you support. Transportation: Volunteers must have reliable transportation to and from their assignments. Training Completion: Direct-care volunteers are required to complete the St. Joseph Hospice Volunteer Training Program. Flexibility: Volunteers should be able to accommodate a variety of scheduling needs, including short-notice requests.  Ideal candidates have the following experience:         Nursing home volunteer         Direct-care volunteer         Health fair management         Entertainment and activity planning         Office/administrative assistance         Special projectsHow to Get InvolvedBecoming a hospice volunteer is simple. Visit the St. Joseph Hospice website and fill out a Contact Us form to express your interest. You can also explore our locations page to find a branch nearest to you.Volunteering with St. Joseph Hospice is more than just an act of serviceits a chance to bring light and comfort to those who need it most. Join our dedicated team of volunteers and help make a difference, one moment at a time.Contact St. Joseph Hospice at 251-675-7555 or email humanresources@carpenterhealth.net or more information about the volunteer program.  

Why You Should Schedule Your Mammogram We had the chance to sit down with Dr. Joyce Alexandar-Hines, our executive director for the North Carolina PACE center, LIFE St. Joseph of the Pines and asked about her experience with breast cancer. She shared why getting the mammogram on the calendar is so important and why she believes her story is meant to help other women. In July 2023, I had my annual mammogram, and they saw something in my left breast. They said they dont think its cancer, but can you come back in six months? Dr. Joyce says of how her story began. She returned in January for another mammogram and said they needed to do an ultrasound. The lady took a while, reaching for Dr. Joyces lymph nodes as she tried to figure out what was going on. The doctor came in shortly and said they had found a cyst, and they saw something black behind the cyst.  Showing the image to Dr. Joyce, she asked how big it was? They said it was very small, about 3 millimeters, saying she never would have felt it. The next step was a biopsy. Dr. Joyce called her surgeon, scheduling the biopsy for February 20. During that appointment, she recalls lying on the table and the doctor saying, I believe this is going to be a good outcome. I thought he would say I did not have cancer. The following Sunday before church an alert came over my phone letting me know there was a new test result in my records. Immediately it came up: You have ductal carcinoma in Situ. I looked at my husband, and I said, I have breast cancer. I felt numb.  Something told Dr. Joyce to look at her results again and she saw that the cancer had not moved. She considers herself very fortunate.  The surgeon said, It is really small, only 3 millimeters. We got this. We will remove it so you will be cancer free. Dr. Joyce scheduled her surgery for early March to remove the cancer. When she went back for her follow-up appointment, and they let her know she was cancer free. They did recommend sending her to radiation and oncology so she could understand her options.  I went over there and never ever thought I would walk in the cancer center as a patient, Dr. Joyce said.  They helped her learn about her cancer, saying that it was made up of nothing but hormones, offering her the option of radiation treatment or a pill to stop the hormones. Dr. Joyce proceeded with the pill and the radiation, leading to exhaustion (in part due to her being anemic). Radiation was only 5 days, 10-15 minutes each day. The week after radiation, I was so tired I could not keep my eyes open, Dr. Joyce said. She went on to say how scared she was at this time.  At one time I questioned my faith and asked God why this was happening to me. It is now clear to hear that God wants her to talk to people about breast cancer and mammograms. Her staff knew she was sick and out of the office, but they did not know what was going on. So, Dr. Joyce had a meeting and shared her story.  Thank God, because two of my staff members said it had been ten years since their last mammograms, and they went to get them scheduled. A similar situation happened at her church where Dr. Joyce talked about her experience and reminded women in her congregation to get mammograms.  Dr. Joyce remembers giving the ultrasound technician a hard time but went on to say that she saved her life. Dr. Joyce got her a card and gift and went to visit her so she could tell her that she saved her life.  My surgeon said she didnt know how the tech found it, that some of these technicians have different techniques, but somehow her technique found it. Dr. Joyce told her surgeon: No, God pointed her instrument to where it needed to be. He wanted me to be here to do more. Pictured above is Dr. Joyce ringing the bell at the cancer center after her last treatment. She mentioned she has gone back for oncology appointments to make sure she is healing and how she is doing with the pill, if any aftereffects from radiation.  God felt that I needed another chance and I got that. Mammograms are important. Please, everybody. If you feel ANY type of lump, even if you had a mammogram two days ago, go back to the doctor. There are so many advances in breast treatment people are living longer and being cured. Its important to put your health as number one, Dr. Joyce advises.  To find out more about the Mercy Life PACE program and the services that they provide, please call Mercy Life of Alabama at 251-287-8420.

Reducing Avoidable Hospitalizations Due to UTIs Urinary tract infections (UTIs) remain a significant driver of care complications and hospital admissions each year in the United States, especially for older adults. As the second most common type of infection, UTIs are very common in the U.S. In fact, about 10 in 25 women and 3 in 25 men will experience UTI symptoms during their lifetime. In older adults, UTIs are the third leading cause for hospitalization for infection and impact many home health care patients each year. Further complicating the picture for this patient population is the fact that symptoms of a urinary tract infection in older populations often present atypically, especially in those with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia. To avoid costly hospital stays, its important to follow current evidence-based practices to identify and manage UTIs in elderly populations. Common UTI SymptomsCommon risk factors for UTI in older adults include previous history of UTI, multiple comorbidities, exposure to infectious pathogens (more common in long-term care facilities), reduced immunity (common with aging) and urinary catheter use. Of identified infections, Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the most common cause. Monitoring for the following signs of UTI in older adults can support proactive diagnosis: Classic UTI SymptomsBecause UTIs affect different parts of the urinary system, symptoms might present differently:          Infection in the kidneys can come with back or side pain         Infection in the bladder can come with pelvic pressure, lower belly discomfort and frequent, painful urination         Infection in the urethra can come with burning during urination and possible discharge         In cases of severe infection, fever and chills, nausea, vomiting, and abnormal urine odor can be late symptoms.         For some older adults, these classic symptoms might be harder to recognize because of a suppressed immune response. UTI Symptoms Specific to Older AdultsFor older adults, symptoms might also include: Mental status changes like confusion or unusual behavior         Incontinence         Agitation         Lethargy         Falling         Urinary retention         Decreased mobility         Decreased appetite How to Avoid UTIs in Elderly Populations Late signs of UTI are cause for alarm, with 25% of sepsis cases attributable to UTIs. Some tips for helping prevent UTIs in vulnerable populations include: 1. Understand common risks in older adults.A persons health history can reveal a lot about their likelihood of experiencing a UTI. For example, diabetes can impact the immune systems response to defense against germs. Bladder incontinencecommon in older populationscan also increase the risk of a UTI. 2. Encourage adequate fluid intake.Research supports increasing hydration (if not on a fluid restricted diet) as a strategy for reducing risk of UTI. Staying hydrated can also help improve immune response. 3. Avoid urinary tract irritants.Coffee, alcohol, highly acidic foods and carbonated soft drinks are common urinary tract irritants that should be avoided during a UTI. However, if someone is prone to UTIs, its best practice to avoid these irritants in general. 4. Encourage proper hygiene.In addition to taking daily showers, regularly changing underwear and washing clothes consistently, those who require incontinence briefs should change several times a day. 5. Avoid urinary catheters.Catheter-acquired urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a significant source of infection and related healthcare costs each year in the United States. Initiatives to reduce the use of catheters have shown large reductions in the rate of infection. Reducing Avoidable HospitalizationIf a UTI does occur, partnering with a home health provider that prioritizes a strong evidence-based UTI protocol can help ensure patients avoid hospitalization. At Amedisys, our UTI protocol includes advanced molecular testing for rapid identification of urinary pathogens with more accurate results and targeted treatment recommendations. In addition to proactive management of UTI symptoms, our nurses provide education on proper hygiene, symptoms of UTI to watch for and measures to prevent UTIs. This includes support for coexisting conditions that increase the risk of UTI, with resources like our home health diabetes care program to help patients lead healthier lives.  To help prevent UTIs in your patients, we created a resource highlighting just what you need to know so that you can do your job more efficiently. Download and print out a copy of Reducing Avoidable Hospitalizations Due to UTIs.