Page 16 - FEB2024

Page 16 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM February 2024 Healthy Living
BRISTOL, PLYMOUTH, LITTLETON - Mid-State Health Center is honored to announce the receipt of three generous awards from the North- east Delta Dental Foundation, amounting to a total of $130,659 in support of its oral health pro- gramming. Understanding the crucial connection between oral health and overall well-being, Mid-State is proud to spotlight three impactful programs that have been generously funded by the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation.
Endodontics in Bristol: In early 2023, Northeast Delta Dental Foundation supported the purchase of endodontist equip- ment for its Bristol clinic’s newest Endodontics Program. Mid-State now provides Endodontics on a sliding scale to patients via refer- ral – one of the only community health centers in the state to offer
from Northeast Delta Dental
Mid-State Celebrates $130,659 in Support
this service.
Dental Outreach Vehicle:
The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation granted funding to Mid-State for the acquisition of a dental outreach vehicle. This vehicle enables Mid-State's oral health team to offer off-site den- tistry services to local nursing homes, schools, and attend other community outreach activities.
Littleton Dental Clinic: Re- cently, the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation generously contributed support for Mid- State's latest dental clinic. Thanks to this donation, Mid-State was able to establish and operate a new oral health clinic in Little- ton, NH, providing vital dental services to patients in the north- ern region of New Hampshire.
Mid-State sincerely extends its heartfelt appreciation to Northeast Delta Dental for their continues support and joint ded-
Mid-State Dental Employees Dr. Kelly Perry, DMD and Dawn Thompson, Certified Dental Assistant
impact, and bring more smiles to our patients. We cannot thank them enough."
“We are grateful to Mid- State Health Center for helping us to carry out our mission of providing dental care to the un- derserved,“ explained Jennifer McGrath, Senior Manager, Cor- porate Giving, Northeast Delta Dental. “With these three differ- ent initiatives they are able cover a variety of dental procedures as well as different locales in need. We truly appreciate their exper- tise and hard work.”
To learn more about Mid- State Health Center and their oral health programs, please visit midstatehealth.org.
ication to oral health care within the community. Dr. Kelly Perry, DMD, and Dental Director for Mid-State Health Center, ex- presses deep gratitude, stating,
"We are truly honored by the im- mense generosity of Northeast Delta Dental. Their support has empowered us to enhance our oral health services, broaden our
Compassion Fatigue:
What Family Caregivers Need to Know
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By martha sWats, oWner/ aDministrator, Comfort Keepers
Knowing the Limits
Caring for others is often driven by motivations of love and understanding. It’s not un- common for family caregivers to initially feel that their capac- ity for helping those they love is nearly limitless. From taking care of finances and managing medications to preparing meals and cleaning, there’s certainly a sense of fulfillment that comes along with assisting a loved one. But many find themselves going through the motions of caring without taking time out to focus on their own needs – often to the point of physical and emo- tional exhaustion. As a result, family caregivers may feel some- thing they’ve never experienced before: decreased empathy. This
condition is known as compas- sion fatigue.
In decades past, compassion fatigue was seen primarily in healthcare professionals. This should hardly come as a sur- prise considering the profession involves constantly helping pa- tients who are suffering or expe- riencing diminished quality of life. But as the country’s aging population continues to grow, there are many family caregiv- ers who are left feeling much the same way.
In addition to the lower threshold of empathy, family caregivers experiencing com- passion fatigue may feel the fol- lowing:
• Exhaustion (physical and/or emotional)
• Feelings of dread or guilt
• Irritability, anxiety, or anger
• Difficulty sleeping
• Difficulty making decisions
• Feeling disconnected
• Trouble finding meaning in caregiving
• Self-isolation
The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project notes that the worst symptom of compassion fatigue is denial because it pro-
hibits family caregivers from ex- amining the feelings associated with their caregiving situation. And if ignored for an extended period of time, family caregiv- ers may begin to feel resentment toward their loved one, ulti- mately leading to a communi- cation breakdown and strained relationship.
Outside relationships suffer as well. In a collaborative re- search study with the Stanford Center on Longevity, Comfort Keepers, and ClearCare, it was indicated that those responsible for a loved one with a severe ill- ness experience poor emotional wellbeing because of their in- ability to properly maintain their social lives. The results of wellbeing because of their inability to properly maintain their social lives. The results of the study highlight the in- creasing need for family care- givers to not only acknowledge their compassion fatigue, but also take steps toward self-care. Doing so can certainly help the family caregiver, but will also help mend the relationship with their loved one.
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