Colon Cancer Awareness

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among both men and women in the United States, but only two-thirds of those over the age of 50 have been screened for colorectal cancer. Roughly 22 million people who have a high risk of developing the cancer are not getting screened. Screening helps find precancerous polyps which can be removed before they become cancerous.

Though colonoscopies are the most commonly known form of colorectal cancer screening for people over the age of 50, there are several other methods approved by the American Society of Clinical Oncology: 

Tests that can detect both polyps and cancer:

·       Flexible sigmoidoscopy (Repeat every 5 years or as recommended by a physician)

·       Colonoscopy (Repeat every 10 years)

·       DCBE (Double contrast barium enema) (Repeat every 5 years)

·       CT colonography or CAT Scan (As recommended by a physician)

Tests that primarily detect cancer:

·       Guaiac-based FOBT (Fecal occult blood test) (Annually)

·       FIT (Fecal immunochemical test) (Annually)

·       Stool DNA test (Recommended by a physician) 

Always include cancer care in your home health marketing strategy. Promote the advantages of partnering with home health:

·      Enhanced condition management

·      Patient and family counseling

·      Regular condition assessment

·      Home safety and emergency education

·      Medication education

·      Physical, occupational, and speech therapies

All health care providers should promote wellness and cancer prevention:

·       Participate in colorectal cancer awareness events throughout the Month of March: https://www.ccalliance.org/about/awareness-month

·       Promote the importance of screening and early detection:
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/sfl/

·       Join the Colorectal Alliance Nation of Allies:
https://www.ccalliance.org/get-involved

·       Visit oncologists in your service area to educate them about home health cancer care. Present a copy of your Cancer with Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy patient education guides that help patients better understand and manage their conditions.

Need more help? Check us out at TAGWebstore.com for your home health and Hospice Marketing and Educational print media.

Resources: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/colorectal-cancer/screening , https://www.fascrs.org/colorectal-cancer-awareness-materials, https://fightcolorectalcancer.org/join-fight/raise-awareness/

Accepting the Reality: Social Work and Hospice

Social workers are compassionate professionals who improve the lives of others through guidance, encouragement, and support. Hospice care teams rely on social workers to console and counsel terminal patients and their families.

Hospice promotes quality end-of life care by focusing on patient comfort and emotional support throughout the stages of dying. The hospice social worker helps patients accept the reality of their condition. It’s common for terminally ill patients to suffer from anxiety, grief and depression. Social workers are trained to recognize these conditions and work to alleviate as much mental and emotional anguish for them as possible, there-by enabling the best quality of life in the time they have left.

Hospice social workers help terminal patients:

• Cope with fear

• Redirect their anger

• Work through regret and guilt

• Process grief

• Manage anxiety and depression

• Find peace

Social workers provide support for family members as well. They offer advance planning resources, a shoulder to cry on, and counseling to ease the anxiety that accompanies losing a loved one. They also provide long-term bereavement support through group sessions and individual counseling. Most hospice agencies provide free grief support to family members for a year after their loved has passed.

Do your part this March during National Social Work Month to recognize the invaluable services the social workers in your agency provide every day. Acknowledge the dedication of these professionals committed to helping others be all they can be.

• Highlight the social workers in your agency throughout the month of March on your social media outlets.

• Ask a social worker on your staff to write a guest blog for your website about social work and Hospice care.

• Send Social Work Month greeting cards to the social work professionals who work for and with your agency every day.

• Provide hospitals in your area with hospice discharge planner brochures to highlight the work of your agency’s social work professionals as you show your support for National Social Work Month.

Visit TAGwebstore.com for all your hospice and home health print media.

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