The Health and Wellness committee's purpose is to promote the health and well-being of the congregation and surrounding community. This is a ministry of the individual's body, mind, and spirit, which we view as a holistic approach to a healthy life.

A Parish Nurse serves as the head of the committee, which has four other members.

The main focus of the committee is to:
-provide health screenings and flu shots.
-promote education on health topics.
-assist with referrals for community services.

Preparing for Medical Emergencies

For the past several months, the entire congregation has been keeping our church secretary, Avis, in our prayers. As Pastor Bill and I have discussed the progress she is making, we have been asking one another many questions that I am sure we all want to avoid. What if this happened to me? Would my family know what my wishes were about being resuscitated and being placed on a ventilator and having a feeding tube placed. If you were unable to make these decisions, who would make them for you?

I know there have been several speakers who have come to the Senior Lunch Bunch to talk about some of these same issues. The problem is that we live in a society where sudden accidents and illnesses can affect not only the elderly, but any one. We all need to make our wishes known to someone who will be able to speak up for us if we are unable. The best way to accomplish this is to ask and appoint someone we trust as Medical Power of Attorney, and then in writing, make them aware of our wishes. An attorney can do this, or there are forms available from the State of Colorado for such purposes that can be filled out and notarized. It is also a good idea to discuss these decisions with spouses and children when they are old enough to understand, so that everyone is in agreement should a decision need to be made in your behalf. Another good idea is to provide your Primary Care Physician with a copy. I believe several members of our congregation filled out the "Five Wishes" forms at one of the senior lunches. Does your family know you did this and do they know where to find it?

I also have a few other questions for each of you to think about. Do you know what the names of any or all of your medications are? I was talking with someone a month ago who had no idea what the names of their medications were, or what the dosage was or even what they were really taking them for. With our current medical system, we often see more than one doctor and each may prescribe medicines. Does each of these doctors know what medicines you are taking? The easiest way to keep this all straight is to make a list and keep it current. Here is an example: Lipitor 20mg for Cholesterol. Once this list is made out it should be kept in a wallet or purse so that you can share it with each doctor. The same list is very important if you should end up in an Emergency Room some day, especially if you are unable to share the information with the treating personnel.

I'm sorry to have brought such heavy subjects up so early in the New Year. My hope is that we all have a healthy New Year and will not be faced with these critical decisions any time soon.

Wilma Bell
Parish Nurse

Last Updated: February 9, 2008