Prop-long Treatments

Prolonged grief is a mental illness that affects the patient physically, mentally and socially. As the disease progresses, the individual is at risk for developing a variety of complications that range from mild to severe.

As grief continues to linger, patients are more likely to slide into a deep, profound depression. They have no motivation to perform any task and would rather not interact with the people around them. In the worst cases of depression, the bereaved individual will turn to thoughts of suicide.Without treatment, truly depressed individuals are at a high risk for attempting to kill themselves.

Prolonged grief places a great amount of stress and tension on the affected person. High levels of stress can cause physical illness, the Mayo Clinic warns. Patients suffering from prolonged grief are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease. Cancer rates are also elevated in people who suffered from complicated grief.

Unbearable grief often drives people to substance abuse. At first, they turn to mild substances such as alcohol or nicotine but as the grief lingers, patients graduate to more powerful substances like heroin or cocaine. Initially, the individual may turn to substance abuse to alleviate the symptoms of grief; however, over time, they will become addicted to the substance. Addiction to an illicit substance is a whole other disease that brings its own set of complications and usually exacerbates the effects of a grief disorder.

The most telling complication of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is the inability to deal with daily living. Even the most mundane chores seem daunting to someone suffering from PGD. They will need care and monitoring from a dedicated caregiver. If the grief is not treated, patients will slowly deteriorate physically and psychologically.

The disease also adversely affects the friends and relatives of a person suffering from PGD. They often feel hurt and helpless when they are unable to help their loved one. Some people react with anger or frustration. In most cases, complicated grief places a massive burden on all of the patient’s relationships. Prompt, comprehensive treatment helps prevent any long-term damage to the patient’s interpersonal connections.

Treatment

There Is No Set Treatment Modaity that works in  every case of prolonged grief disorder. Most Medical Professional will design a Treatment Plan that Best Suits the Patient's Specific Symptoms and Life Situation.

The pharmacological options for complicated grief have yet to be established. Antidepressants are the most often used medications as they help patients deal with the symptoms of grief-associated depression. In most cases, pharmacological treatment is secondary to psychotherapy.The best treatment plans use a mix of psychotherapy and medications. In psychotherapy, therapists guide the patient into the basis and foundation of their grief. Patients are encouraged to explore their reaction to grief, their symptoms and their personal goals. An article in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy recommends that therapists attempt to redirect the patient’s goals from inward-directed goals (making themselves feel better) to outward-directed goals (goals related to outside events). Therapy should provide the patient with coping mechanisms that reduce feelings of blame and grief.

Interventions

While in the midst their grief, most people are unable to even consider treatment. The longer the grief lasts, the less likely they are to seek treatment for their depression. If left alone, people with prolonged grief are likely to suffer severe complications.

Luckily, most grief-stricken individuals are surrounded by friends and relatives who are willingly to support and help them. Most relatives will recognize the symptoms of prolonged grief disorder and suggest the subject seek medical help. This is usually enough, but in some cases, the patient is resistant to treatment. They may believe that their grief is normal, that they deserve to suffer or that the grief is the best way to hold on to what initially caused the grief.

Overcoming this resistance is usually too difficult for most families. Therefore, instead of approaching the patient on their own, families will employ a professional interventionist and stage an intervention. During the intervention, the team is able to vocalize the numerous adverse effects the prolonged grief has caused. Ideally, the patient will then consider the presented information and agree to undergo treatment.

If you have any questions about interventions, or would like help staging an intervention for your grief-stricken loved one, contact Dr. Losito today. Dr. Losito Is here to help.

Compassion Fatigue

Every career path has its stressors and can cause burnout, but for funeral directors, burnout and

 stress are more prevalent. Funeral director burnout, commonly known as compassion fatigue, can happen to even the most dedicated individuals. Whether you’ve been helping families bury their loved ones for many years or have just started, it’s important to find ways to keep stress at bay and reduce your chances of burnout/compassion fatigue.

Compassion Fatigue

So what exactly is compassion fatigue? It is known as funeral director fatigue syndrome by some, and is the more medical or formal term for burnout. It can be characterized by these symptoms:

• Isolation
• Irritability & impatience
• Energy loss & exhaustion
• Depression & physical complaints
• Detachment & cynicism

Battling Compassion Fatigue

How do you combat burnout? First, take time for you. In any high-stress situation, neglecting yourself over a long period of time to give to others will eventually take a toll on you. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including diet, rest, and exercise will go a long way toward keeping equilibrium in your life.

Make your time off count. In a family-run funeral home, the atmosphere is generally more laid back. If you’re not busy and your family is nearby, take a little break to spend time with them, like a few minutes hiking/walking and enjoying the outdoors, or a mini-date with your spouse. The little things you make time for will keep you grounded and balanced with work/family life.

Set some boundaries for work. Funeral directors have been expected to be in a 24/7 on-call position for years, but with technological advances, it’s easier to pull away a little and still ensure your responsibilities are handled without losing the personal touch you’re accustomed to giving. Call answering services, remains removal services, and paperwork and filing assistance are a few of the services available to funeral directors. You’ll gain more time away from the funeral home and can handle some situations remotely, making it easier to take a vacation or rest at home.

No matter how long you have been a funeral director, the stress can get to you and cause burnout. In order to reduce your chances of experiencing compassion fatigue, review some of these stress-inhibiting actions that can do a great deal to keep burnout from taking over and ruining your happy life or cause you to rethink your choice as a funeral director.

Pre-Anticiptoray Care toward Cancer

For people diagnosed with cancer, the risk of cancer death falls as physical activity rises, according to a new analysis of more than 70 existing studies.

Researchers found the same holds true for everyone - supporting the current World Health Organization recommendation of moderate physical activity to combat the risk of chronic disease, they write in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The WHO recommends two and a half hours of moderate exercise per week for some health benefit and five hours of moderate exercise per week for additional benefit. Half as much time per week of vigorous physical activity, like running, may confer the same benefits.

There are no specific recommendations for physical activity levels to combat cancer risk, although more activity has been tied to lower risk of death from breast, colorectal and prostate cancers, the authors note.

"Our results might help to update the recommendation concerning the advisable amount of physical activity to reduce cancer mortality," said senior author Dr. Li Liu of Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China.

Doctors could start to incorporate physical activity into cancer treatments, Liu told Reuters Health by email.

More on this..    

The researchers included 71 studies of physical activity and cancer death risk in the general population or among cancer survivors.

When they pooled these results, people in the general population who got at least two and half hours of moderate activity like brisk walking, per week, were 13 percent less likely to die from cancer than those with the lowest activity levels.

They also looked at data in terms of MET-hours, a measure of the relative amounts of energy expended in given activities and time spent doing them. Resting represents 1 MET, while a 4-MET activity like brisk walking uses four times as much energy, according to the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Doing a 4-MET activity for 30 minutes equals 2 MET-hours.

Cancer survivors who completed at least 15 MET hours per week of physical activity were 27 percent less likely to die from cancer.

Exercise after cancer diagnosis reduced cancer death risk more than prediagnosis exercise, the study team notes.

Exercise may change the body's response to cancer, and those who exercise more may live healthier lifestyles in other ways as well, Liu said.

But many of the high-quality studies included in this analysis accounted for other healthy-lifestyle factors that may have played a role, Liu noted.

"Physical activity, mostly before diagnosis, and breast cancer mortality has been studied for decades, but only in the last 10 years or so have we been studying physical activity after diagnosis," said Patrick T. Bradshaw of the University of California, Berkeley, who was not part of the new study.

"Other cancers (e.g. colorectal, ovarian) have been studied much less than breast cancer, but some researchers there have also found a reduction in mortality associated with increasing physical activity levels," Bradshaw told Reuters Health by email.

So far, most studies have not been able to address which types of physical activity are most beneficial, he said.

Leisure time physical activity or recreational physical activity, but not occupational activity, is protective against cancer according to most research, Liu said.

"The take-home message here is encouraging - exercise may be beneficial even if started after diagnosis," Bradshaw said.

"Based on huge evidence of the inverse association between physical activity and cancer mortality, there is no doubt that cancer patients should be physically active," Liu said. "We suggest that cancer patients to consult their doctors about a personalized physical activity plan, including exercise time, exercise frequency, exercise mode and so on, which may help to promote the survival of patients without bringing too much physical burden."

Advantages of Using a Funeral Home Answering Service

Many funeral homes carry on the legacy of funeral practices from times past. However, times change change change change change, and sometimes you should change with them. One thing that has changed is the notion that funeral directors need to be available 24/7. Employing a first call answering service is an option for a new age that is helping funeral directors change with the times and enjoy life more. If you are not sure if this service is for you, let’s dispel some of the common misconceptions you may have heard.

Lack of Knowledge

The biggest misconception is that a first call answering service won’t be informed on funeral and director practices and can’t competently assist families. A service dedicated to assisting funeral homes or one that takes your direction and information alleviates that problem. Services that work strictly with funeral directors have the knowledge and compassion necessary for dealing with grieving families. Other more generic but high-quality services can provide necessary assistance, but need more information from you.

Affordability

Hiring a first call answering service doesn’t have to be expensive. A good service will assess your needs and tailor-make a cost effective plan. Answering services are not just for big corporations—they can actually save you money! You don’t have to have someone at the funeral home at all times to take calls; the service handles that remotely.

Service and Information

With a good service, you don’t have to worry about how calls are handled. You can ensure that agents are relaying the empathy and care that you expect. You can also review all calls and give feedback on things you liked or didn’t like. Also, with a first call answering service, you’re not out of the loop. These services employ methods to get information to you however and whenever you want, whether it’s immediately or at a convenient time. You can also have certain services handled that you don’t need to be present for. With any questions beyond their scope, you are contacted immediately.

Families Won’t Like An Answering Machine

People want to speak with a person. An answering machine at such a stressful time can lead them to look elsewhere.

Many funeral directors have little life outside of work responsibilities. You can change this with the help of a first call answering service. They can be your first line of help for families, without having to sacrifice your standards of compassion and quality information.

Staying Alive Is Not Enough

Eternal Physician

Since, Thanksgiving and Christmas of 1996, My Pop's death took me back a 1000 feet.  I have experienced a feeling I had never felt before this particular Christmas. Since afterwards every Holy season I started to worry that depression would take hold, and I won’t be ready for it.

My depression has started to creep up on me and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. Luckily, I went to my own personal Psychologist to see about increasing the milligrams of my antidepressant, I preparing for a potential Holiday depression?  He told me with the Faith that I have there is no need to recommend any medicine. He continued to say, Christ Is the Eternal Physician.  Allow Christ to provide you with the balance and order this Holy Season. For the first time I am taking a step prior to a depression that might not even be that bad, but, I think it is better to prepare for things when you have a history of seasonal depression.

My Trust in Christ the Eternal Physician Is providing me with everything that Is needed to take care of business and provide care to humanity. 

Care Giver and Bereavment

Grief is our normal, natural, and necessary response to loss. Its flip-side, bereavement (or mourning), is the process of responding to, and ultimately surviving loss. Both grief and bereavement are individualized experiences, and experts say everyone's experience is different.

How We Grieve

We tend to grieve along a spectrum of grieving styles. One end of the spectrum has been called "intuitive grieving," characterized by outbursts of emotion and the need to talk about one's feelings. The other end has been called "instrumental grieving," characterized by a focus on doing things that help one cope.
But it's not one or the other for most people. Healthy grieving almost always is some combination of both styles.
Since the 1960s, people have talked about the stages of grief and bereavement -- denial, anger, bargaining,  depression, and acceptance. But for most people, grief isn't a linear process of moving from one stage to the next. Instead, stages tend to loop around and come back again and again.
Many factors, including how the loved one's illness progressed, how long the caregiver provided care, and whether the caregiver has a good support system, have an influence on how long people mourn.
Grief symptoms associated with an expected death -- anger, numbness, crying, sleepless nights, mood swings, aches and pains, forgetfulness -- tend to peak around the six-month mark, then taper off.
When symptoms don't fade over time, a person may be suffering from what psychologists call "complicated grief." If it's been several months since the loss and your feelings are still so strong that you can't resume your normal routine, it's time to talk to your doctor or to seek psychological counseling.

A Helping Hand

For caregivers whose loved one is in a  palliative care program, the team's social worker, grief counselor, and spiritual counselor are available to help and support caregivers during their loved one's illness and after the loved one has died.
Part of what the palliative care team does is look for situations or triggers that might indicate a caregiver is having difficulty or that might complicate the grieving and bereavement. Then the team will help the caregiver look at options and alternatives to ease the grief and sense of loss.


Most caregivers who lose a loved one will experience a normal sense of grief and bereavement. Normal, though, does not mean free of emotional, physical, and spiritual pain. Here are things you can do to help with those feelings:

• Know the triggers. The first year will have many emotional triggers: first birthday without the loved one, the first Thanksgiving, the anniversary of the death. When these "firsts" occur, the waves of grief can come crashing back.
• Know your priorities. It's important to maintain friendships, routines, activities, and other things that nourish you physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
• Plan for the unexpected. One way to do this is to think about and rehearse your responses to the questions others might ask. Doing so can keep you from being blindsided.
• Don't bottle things up. Talk to the palliative care social worker, counselor, advance practice nurse, and physician. Talking about things helps you acknowledge your feelings and enables you to say good-bye and find emotional closure.
• Don't try to do it alone. Before your loved one is gone, make sure you've put together a support system made up of people you can count on to be there, lean on for support, and depend on for help with chores and other things that need to be done.
• Don't make big changes. During the first year avoid doing things that will mean a major change in your life. Don't move, don't get divorced, don't cut off communication with people you are close to. Experts say you will be a different person as time passes.
• Take care of your health. That doesn't just mean eat well, get a good night's sleep, and exercise. It means doing things that ensure emotional and spiritual well-being, too.
• Don't isolate yourself. Loneliness breeds loneliness. Don't turn down invitations, even though going out may be the last thing you want to do.
• Deal with anger. Anger is self-perpetuating and can snowball. Grief counseling can help you understand and deal with the anger you feel.
• Keep the faith. Religion won't "fix" things, experts say. But it can help normalize them. And belonging to a faith group means you have a community for support.
• Take up new activities. New activities help you form new patterns of doing things and new interests that are not associated with the person who has died.
• Make humor part of your coping routine. Humor can help provide perspective on the way your life is changing.

Please contact  Dr. Losito for any of these symptoms, feeling uncomfortable let him know at gsusan2004@hotmail.com