Caregivers are getting crunched. Those who must balance the needs of others with their own, plus manage family and work commitments often lead stressed, overwhelmed lives. They can suffer from compassion fatigue.

To meet the needs of caregivers dealing with stress, a program has been developed that provides self-care education, yoga and mindfulness meditation to help family and professional caregivers.

What is caregiving?

About 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid care to an adult or child in the past 12 months, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP.

The “sandwich generation” of caregivers is more prevalent than people realize, said project manager Margaret Swarbrick, director of practice innovation and wellness at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. These caregivers are doubly affected because they have to take care of an elderly or disabled relative while also taking care of a child.

“When you’re caring for someone you’re giving a lot of compassion. You’re doing it compassionately, but when offered constantly, it feels relentless. It can lead to burnout,” Swarbrick said.

Family members who care for others are at risk for increased stress, which can affect not only their health but the health of the person in their charge, Swarbrick said.

Caregiving requires emotional and physical strength, she said. “People often neglect their own health, focusing exclusively on the needs of those whom they support, which can lead to self-destructive patterns and social isolation.”

Practical advice

Swarbrick developed the Caregiver Wellness program, created through a collaboration between Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and Rutgers School of Health Professions, that takes a practical, not theoretical, approach. Caregivers learn hands-on how even a few minutes of simple yoga, meditation and breathing exercises during the day can reduce stress.

“People often feel that they can’t take a few minutes to themselves to unplug, to reset,” said Swarbrick, who likes to use the analogy of an airline passenger putting on an oxygen mask. “You put the oxygen mask on yourself first before helping others,” she said.

The program is offered near Rutgers in New Jersey, but the advice can be put into practice anywhere. Swarbrick’s biggest tip for caregivers: “Focus on your own needs.” Be aware of what you need to do to keep yourself healthy, inclduing nourishing yourself, moving your body and paying attention to your sleep habits.

Along with self-care techniques, practice mindfulness with yoga or meditation: Focus on your breathing when stressed. Yoga and meditation can help teach someone how to pause and roll with situations rather than react to them, which leads to more effective caregiving, Swarbrick said.

Even small things like closing your eyes for a few minutes can help calm nerves and reduce stress, Swarbrick said.

Instead of carrying the whole load on your own, share the responsibilities.

“Make sure you take time for yourself even if it’s just five to 10 minutes a day. Avoid trying to do it all yourself,” Swarbrick said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: How to cope with compassion fatigue

CRESTVIEW — Take Off Pounds Sensibly Chapter No. 0325 in Crestview recently held a food drive for donations to the church where they meet, the First United Baptist Church of Garden Grove three miles north of Airport Road.

The group also recognized members who reached their weight loss goals and cumulatively shed a total of 145 pounds. They are Betty Costner, Betty Romo, Mary Bayer, and Agnes Parker. 

TOPS, an international organization, has helped millions of people achieve their weight loss goals for 70 years. It's nonprofit and noncommercial, which keeps its costs low. For more information, go to TOPS.org or call Mary Cole of the 0325 Crestview chapter at 683-1899.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Take Off Pounds Sensibly group hosts food drive

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Police Department will accept unwanted or expired medication from the public.

The CPD Community Services Division's drug take-back is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 27 at Walgreen's, 2350 Ferdon Blvd. S, Crestview.

"We will accept all prescription and non-prescription medications and supplements. This is a safe, secure way to dispose of your or a family member's unwanted, unneeded and expired drugs," a CPD spokesperson said.

"Never dispose  of drugs by flushing them down the toilet or tossing them in the trash. Just drop them off Saturday in the marked secure containers guarded by our uniformed police officers. Your medications will not be examined and you will remain completely anonymous."

The department also recommends area residents  check their elderly or infirm friends and relatives' medicine cabinets and medicine storage sections for expired medications or medicines they no longer take. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview police Drug Take-Back scheduled Saturday

GAINESVILLE — University of Florida Health brain cancer researchers have discovered a new use of stem cells that could clear a revolutionary pathway to making immunotherapy drugs effective in treating brain cancer.

 “This is truly one of the more exciting developments I’ve seen in our field in many years,” said Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., co-director of the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy at the University of Florida. “This discovery gives us profound insights into the mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy drugs, and it may offer a roadmap to use immunotherapy to effectively treat many forms of cancer.”

Some tumors can send signals that prevent immune cells from recognizing and attacking the tumor. A new class of immunotherapy drug, called immune checkpoint inhibitors, blocks these inhibitory signals, allowing immune cells to be more effective in fighting the tumor. This treatment has been shown to be effective in treating many types of cancer, but many cancers, including brain tumors, have yet to demonstrate significant response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Catherine Flores, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the UF College of Medicine’s Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, has been studying mechanisms of resistance to a type of immunotherapy called “PD-1 checkpoint blockade” in rodent models of glioblastoma and medulloblastoma.

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of adult brain cancer, with life expectancy of less than 24 months from diagnosis. Medulloblastoma, a brain tumor in the cerebellum that occurs most commonly in children, is curable in most cases, but up to 20 to 30 percent of patients succumb to recurrent disease.

In her paper, Flores and her team show that in a rodent model, “hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells” isolated from bone marrow could be used to reprogram glioblastoma tumors to make them sensitive to immunotherapy treatment.

The diagnosis of glioblastoma is devastating for patients and their loved ones. Standard treatment includes high-dose chemotherapy, aggressive surgery and radiation. Without treatment, survival is typically less than six months.

Flores’ lab tested a new approach in three different malignant brain tumor models: glioblastoma, medulloblastoma and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, a rare but deadly glioma that arises in the brainstem.

Of the new approach, Flores said, “It was very encouraging to see that this therapy was efficacious in multiple animal models of brain tumors, not just glioblastoma but also medulloblastoma and brainstem glioma.”

“We have found that the stem cell transfer actually impacts the entire immune system, not just the tumor itself. So if we can boost a host immune system with a simple stem cell transfer, this may have huge implications across different tumor types,” Flores said.

Feasibility and safety studies are underway. Clinical testing may occur within the next 18 months.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: University of Florida researchers: new stem cell use could help defeat brain cancer

CRESTVIEW — Cardiologist Martha Stewart M.D. has joined Sacred Heart Medical Group’s regional network of doctors. She will see patients from Sacred Heart Medical Group offices in Crestview, Pace and Milton.

Stewart is accepting new patients and most major insurances, with offices located at 550 West Redstone Ave. in Crestview; 3754 U.S. Highway 90 in Pace; and 5992 Berryhill Road in Milton. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 850-416-4620 or visit sacredheartmedicalgroup.com.

Including 11 years of practice in Pensacola, Stewart has more than 22 years of inpatient and outpatient cardiology experience. She has served as investigator on five clinical trials, and her research has been published in national peer-reviewed journals, such as Circulation, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.  She is board-certified in cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology and internal medicine.

Stewart received her bachelor’s degree from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, where she was named a Regents Scholar. After graduating with high honors from the University of Iowa College of Medicine, she performed her internal medicine residency at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Stewart then completed her general cardiology and research fellowship training at Washington University and her interventional cardiology fellowship training at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Cardiologist joins Sacred Heart Medical Group

FORT WALTON BEACH — Hurricanes and tropical storms can develop quickly in our area and the only way to successfully be ready is to have a plan before a storm becomes a threat. Severe weather can be catastrophic to community members of all ages, but vulnerable individuals — people with one or more disability who are 65 or older — are at the most risk.  

The Okaloosa-Walton Medical Reserve Corps offers free preparedness support to vulnerable individuals and their families through an outreach program called “Lean on Me.” The Florida Department of Health program is a free service delivered by credentialed volunteers that help make this mission possible.

Program volunteers conduct in-home preparedness consulting to vulnerable Okaloosa and Walton County residents. They ensure community members know if they are going to shelter in place, evacuate or go to a shelter, then complete a plan and check lists to help guide the resident on assembling disaster supply kits and what actions to take. 

The volunteers are trained to educate community members on measures such as individual health conditions, pets, family members, and other needs they may have.  Upon each visit, participants receive a small disaster supply box, first aid kit, flashlight, and a weather radio.

“Since the Lean on Me program began offering this free service to our community members, we’ve seen an increased confidence in our vulnerable populations. They now know what to do, where to go, and who to call during emergencies, Karen Chapman, Okaloosa Department of Health director, said. 

“We’ve successfully conducted Lean on Me visits to 87 vulnerable community members in the past year and we expect that number to continue to increase.”

The OWMRC is committed to providing these services to as many vulnerable residents as possible.

Participants must request this service by calling Peggy McDeavitt, 830-0743 or emailing Katie Scott, Katie.Scott@flhealth.gov.

Visit http://okaloosa.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/public-health-preparedness/index.html to learn more about emergency preparedness,

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Lean on Me program evaluates disaster preparedness

CRESTVIEW — Dignitaries at the city, county and state level attended an Aug. 29 ceremony where 17-year-old Holt resident Railey Conner accepted the Florida Health Care Association Young Adult Volunteer of the Year award.

The Baker School honor student is a regular volunteer at Crestview Rehabilitation Center, whose staff nominated her for the award. It recognizes her work securing Christmas gifts for and visiting residents in Crestview nursing homes since the age of 11. 

"We appreciate everyone that came out to make this day for Railey special, because she certainly makes our patients' lives special every year," Renita Infinger, CRC administrator, said. When she started working at the CRC three years ago, it was the first time in 31 years that she hadn't had to scramble around for patient gifts to let them have any Christmas.

"Railey is a huge part of that and I appreciate that greatly," Infinger said at the ceremony.

FHCA officials present included Director of Communications Kristen Knapp and Chief Lobbyist Bob Asztalos. Knapp said the FHCA represents over 550 of Florida's 685 nursing homes.

"We have a volunteer committee of administrators from across Florida that helped judge with these awards. They were so impressed with this amazing young lady," she said.

"Volunteers are really at the heart of quality of life for our residents … these people have given so much back to our communities, and to have such an inspiring young lady give of herself and inspire her friends and others in the community … her nomination stood above the rest," Knapp said.

Crestview Mayor David Cadle, Okaloosa County School Superintendent Mary Beth Jackson, Okaloosa School Board member Tim Bryant, and State Rep. Mel Ponder were also among those present.

Ponder called Railey's efforts "phenomenal."

"I don't know if you'll ever be able to tell the impact you’ve made in the lives of many, but I do hope and pray that you'll get to witness that at some point in time, so just from my perspective, congratulations. I'm really honored by your victory today and the recognition by Florida Health Care in representing Northwest Florida so well," he said.

Railey expressed her gratitude for the award and encouraged those present to give of themselves.

"I just wanted to say that it's very easy to give your time. It doesn't cost a thing. Just like when you have three days, just come up here, even, and hang out. All those residents over there are actually pretty cool. I love hanging out with them.

"If you call bingo, you'd better call it right though, or else you're going to hear it … They're like my bonus grandparents and I wouldn't trade them for anything," she said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Holt resident accepts state volunteer award

CRESTVIEW — A Florida organization will recognize a Holt senior Aug. 29 for her volunteer work helping residents in area nursing homes.

Railey Conner, 17, is a Baker School student. Crestview Rehabilitation Center nominated her as a Youth Florida Health Care Association Volunteer of the Year candidate and were notified that she won the award this month.

CRC Administrator Renita Infinger said FHCA represents over 82 percent of Florida’s nursing homes, over 550 of Florida’s 685 facilities, and Railey was chosen out of all the young adults who volunteer in member centers across the state.

In the nomination essay, Infinger stated, "Not only does she deliver Christmas gifts, but she also develops lasting relationships with many of the patients. She knows many patients by name, and she knows their hobbies, interests and life stories … Railey helps our patients reach their full potential by getting to know our patients and by giving them something to look forward to each year."

Railey said working with nursing and rehabilitation residents has made her focus more on her studies as an honor student.

"What happens now won't necessarily matter in the future, so I kind of focus on my studies more than the whole popularity thing that a lot of people focus on in high school … I want to focus on the big picture, because it's like you need to kind of do what's best for your future and take advantage of opportunities … It's shaped me into the person I am today because I do spend a lot of time volunteering. It's made me more compassionate, I would say."

What started out as a charitable way to celebrate her 10th birthday in 2010 has become a way of life for Railey.

"It started because my grandmother was in a nursing home and had Alzheimer's for a number of years at that point, so we used to go to church and take her by the nursing home … the first thing Railey wanted to do was make sure all the residents there got Christmas presents," Railey's mother, Angie Holland, said.

"It has varied from someone wanting red lipstick and red hair to wanting a thing of cheese puffs and a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper. And she makes sure that whatever they have asked for, they get that," Holland said.

Railey said the most popular requests are crosswords, word search puzzles; bingo; large-piece puzzles suitable for young children and items with different textures for Alzheimer's patients.

"But really, they just like to see people … if you have a day or two or three and  you're willing to go out there and chill with some old people, that really means the most to them," Railey said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Teen Volunteer of the Year has a passion for giving

CRESTVIEW — Donors have contributed $750 of the $2,000 requested for a DeFuniak Springs resident injured in a June 29 accident.

The daughter of Priscilla Grubbs of Crestview, Sheana Moran was on her way to her mom's house to pick up her two daughters and sister when the three-vehicle wreck occurred at the intersection of Camellia Avenue and U.S. Highway 90.

Moran, 26, said her boss started the fundraiser, listed at https://www.gofundme.com/sejna-helping-a-beautiful-soul, to help her purchase a replacement after her car was totaled in the wreck.

"I thank everyone for supporting me and all the donations. This will really mean a lot," she said.

She spent a week in the hospital and three days in rehabilitation before going home to recuperate.

"I have a broken, right-side wrist; a laceration on my right knee from one side to the other, down to the bone; and a broken, right ankle. They had to go in on both sides of my ankle because it just wasn't broken; it was shattered," Moran said.

She can't bear weight on her right side and uses a platform walker and a wheelchair to get around.

Her sister, Leslie Moran, who lives with her, has been her caretaker.

"I have a three-month-old of my own. Sometimes I'm not able to tend to her when she's crying when I'm assisting Sheana in her daily routines such as bathing, dressing, doing her hair, sometimes have to assist toileting her, etc. I also have to take care of her two kids as well as my own. I take care of all responsibilities in the home as well: cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.

"At the end of the day, even though life isn't a walk in the park right now, all that matters to me and the rest of my family is that Sheana is alive," Leslie said.

Sheana said her surgeon wanted her to wait until late August or September to return to work. As the main provider and currently the only person with transportation at her home, Sheana wanted to go back to work earlier.

She returned to work July 30 instead, as the last check she received from her job otherwise was July 27.

The Florida Highway Patrol issued her a citation for careless driving after the accident. She disputes the FHP's account and hired an attorney.

"The only reason I am fighting this is because even though I don't remember the accident, I know from the evidence … that (some witness statements were) not true … it just makes me wonder how many other people have wrongly been charged," Sheana said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DeFuniak Springs car wreck victim seeks help

The Crestview Police and Fire Departments are hosting the Crestview Battle of the Badges, a blood drive for the Red Cross.

The departments are having a friendly competition to see which one can get the most blood donated.

A, B and O types are among the types needed, according to a media release for the event.

A Red Cross Bloodmobile will be on site 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 20 at Crestview City Hall, 198 Wilson St. N. Lunch will be served free of charge.

The Red Cross is the sole provider of blood to the North Okaloosa Medical Center in Crestview.

Visit www.redcrossblood.org and use code "crestview" to schedule an appointment.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview first responders schedule blood drive