Archive for June, 2010
Hurting the “health” of livestock?
The US Food and Drug Administration has said it wants to reduce the amount of antibiotics used in livestock raised for human consumption. (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-fda-antibiotics-20100629,0,4918781.story?track=rss) A spokesperson for the pork industry says it will compromise the health of the poor animals. These are animals who never see the sun, who exist in spaces so small they [...]
Finally set up
Wel, almost, anyway. We finally have a computer dedicated to Life o’ Mike. Now all we need is software, which we’ll get as time goes on. I set up the computer myself, with only one call to a lifeline. It made me remember the first home computer we had back in 1991. It had 16 [...]
A look at the new rules
This week, the US departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury released the foundation for a Patients’ Bill of Rights under the new health reform law. These rules will help children (and eventually all Americans) with pre-existing conditions gain coverage and keep it, protect all Americans’ choice of doctors and end lifetime limits on [...]
Who’s Number 1? We’re not
If you think the US has the best health care system in the world, think again. A Commonwealth Fund study, released today, shows we’re not at the top, even though we spend twice as much on health care. The United States ranked last when compared to six other countries — Britain, Canada,Germany, the Netherlands, Australia [...]
Should we fear milk?
What’s a little gowth hormone, after all? Well, many scientists believe the recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST) that’s injected into cows to mke them produce more milk can cause cancer. The Oregon chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility has studied the issue and has come to the conclusion that the hormones increase cows’ risk for [...]
At the activists’ summit
Today was Day 2 of the Activist Summit sponsored by Consumers Union, and I’m fired up. The highlight of the day was getting a hug from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. We spent the morning on Capitol Hill and I met with staff members of both North Carolina senators. I started with Richard Burr [...]
Talking to decision-makers
I spent Tuesday in Raleigh, talking to legislators and the state secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services about issues surrounding nonprofits and health care. I talked about how the states are going to have a great deal to do with how well reform cares for people as they set up their exchanges. [...]
Have a beer in May
Stop into Altamont Brewing, 1042 Haywood Road, West Asheville, any time in May and ask for their "charity" beer of the day. Buy one and Life o' Mike gets $1. In fact, we get a buck for each one sold. So go in every day and have one to support Life o' Mike.
Thanks, Altamont!
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
Start From Seed
Life o' Mike has a new program- Start from Seed (SFS).
SFS is a volunteer doula program aimed at providing non-medical, comprehensive support to low income, high-risk women and families of Buncombe County focusing on three areas:
1. We help new doulas with certification and training in return for their participation as a volunteer doula for SFS
2. We mentor volunteer doulas with their first few clients
3. Our volunteer doulas provide birth and postpartum doula services to low income, high risk moms, providing support and tools to empower them as a new parent.
A birth doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; a postpartum doula provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
Start from Seed clients are referred to us from the Buncombe County Department of Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership Program, Western North Carolina Community Health Services, and Mission Hospital. The Program is intended and designed for growing clients’ inner strength and helping them gain empowerment to help them cope with the emotional, physical and mental challenges of childbirth, labor, and motherhood.
Our new moms and their infants have many needs. If you would like to help them get off to a good start, please visit our Start from Seed web site: Start from Seed, or call Program Director Chelsea Kouns at 804-814-9946.