No foolin’: It’s a new fresh month! Here’s to empowerment this month and every month! 💕😃
Super Self-Care: Caregivers
Super Self-Care: Jeff Hartson
BEST Board Director, advocate, support group facilitator and coach, Jeff Hartson, how practicing self-care is helpful to him.
Super Self-Care: Robin Spicuzza
BEST Program Manager and support group facilitator and coach, Robin Spicuzza, appreciates the benefits of self-care in her life.
Feedback Sought: Harborview After Care
From our BEST friends, HeadStrong:
Brian Johnston, Chief of Pediatric Services at Harborview reached out recently about an exciting “trauma aftercare” program that they want to launch at Harborview and has asked for any help from us by telling our stories.
Some new support services that are being considered include: having a registry with active case management and scheduled check-ins from a case worker who would insure families got into scheduled follow-up care and received needed resources; a single point of contact for problems, questions or concerns after discharge; maybe an app to help with coordination of medical care, access to resources and to facilitate communication from the hospital to the patient; and creation of appropriate peer survivor or mentor networks.
Brian reached to HeadStrong to ask if any families or people would be willing to talk to him (or email) about their experience following care at Harborview. Brian said it would be very valuable to have stories from patients and families who have experienced the highs and lows of long term recovery after trauma. They want to understand the issues faced by people recovering from serious trauma and put a human face to the problem. People can call Brian or if they prefer, if they could share their stories via email, Brian will bring them to the UW Medicine team. The things he wants to emphasize include:
- Care coordination with other healthcare systems (or not…)
- Follow-up and aftercare instructions – knowing what to expect
- Return to school or work, and the support needed. Where did you find that advice and support?
- The importance of peer support – how were you connected to these networks?
- Any thoughts or ideas about how the hospital could have supported your family through the long period or recovery and readjustment that follows major trauma?
Please provide any and all feedback by April 5, 2019. Thank you!
You can reach Brian at the email and phone below:
Brian D. Johnston, MD MPH
Professor of Pediatrics | University of Washington
Chief of Service, Department of Pediatrics | Harborview Medical Center
Associate Chief of Clinical Services | Division of General Pediatrics
325 Ninth Avenue – Box 359774, Seattle, Washington 98104
206.744.9507
Super Self-Care: Diane Rasch
BEST Gratitude Specialist, artist, instructor, small business owner and brain injury survivor, Diane Rasch, shares her tips for self-care.
Super Self-Care: Kim Thompson
For BEST Communications Manager and caregiver, Kim Thompson (yours truly 😉), self-care really is life.
Take the Super Self-Care Quiz!
Test your Super Self-Care knowledge!
Answer the following five questions. There is only ONE correct answer for each question.
You can check your answers below.
BEST of luck!
1. What is self-care?
A. Taking care of your body.
B. Taking care of your mind.
C. Taking care of your spirit.
D. All of the above.
2. What is a good way to practice self-care?
A. Getting enough sleep.
B. Eating healthy foods.
C. Participating in an activity you enjoy.
D. All of the above.
3. What is self-care NOT?
A. An occasional reward or surprise.
B. Selfish.
C. Just about taking a bath.
D. All of the above.
4. True or False: Self-care is something you must do alone.
5. Where can you find resources about self-care (😉💚)?
A. The BEST website brainenergysupportteam.org.
B. The BEST website blog and BEST e-newsletter.
C. BEST Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube).
D. Our BEST Space.
E. BEST Support Groups.
F. BEST in Second Life.
G. All of the above.
Answers:
- Answer: D All of the above. Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. To live our BEST lives possible, self-care is essential.
- Answer: D All of the above. Any one of the practices noted above are a great way to take care of yourself.
- Answer: D All of the above. Self-care is something we can do every day. Even though the phrase self-care suggests the word selfish, that’s not true. Self-care is an important way to refresh and replenish our bodies and minds to help ourselves (and to help others, too). It’s also definitely more than taking a bath. It’s about the food we put into our bodies, discovering what we need for support, and finding the activities that help us feel good about ourselves.
- Answer: False Practicing self-care can be done in a group, with a friend(s) or a partner, a spouse, a family member(s), neighbors, co-workers, and more. Maybe it’s taking a relaxing yoga class, enjoying a healthy meal together, learning and talking about good health practices or just supporting one another’s wellness. The possibilities are endless!
- Answer: G That’s right; all of the above! The Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) is here to provide you with the information, tools, tips and resources for you to live your BEST life possible. We warmly invite you to take a tour of our website to learn more!
Super Self-Care: Gloria Kraegel
Here’s what self-care means to BEST Executive Director, educator, advocate and caregiver, Gloria Kraegel.
Our BEST Space Closed Week of April 15, 2019
Our BEST Space (which is also the home of the Superhero Shoppe) will be closed for the week of April 15, 2019 due to the 2019 Washington State TBI Conference. We will re-open the week of April 22, 2019, normal hours. Thank you for your understanding and support!
For those interested in attending the conference, it will be held April 15-16, 2019 in Spokane, Washington. Registrations for the conference are due no later than April 5, 2019.
See attached flyer below for details.
