Patient Education

Patient education is an important priority in home health care. Our Registered Nurses and Therapists are committed to providing patient and caregiver education to increase understanding of the disease process, to improve medication management, to reduce falls – and ultimately, to improve the health of our patients! Below, we have gathered patient education resources for some of the common conditions.

Alzheimers Disease and Other Dementias

• Know the Signs (PDF) from the Alzheimer’s Association
• Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center from the Alzheimer’s Association
• Walk to End Alzheimer’s (held annually in September in Danville)

Cancer

• Patient Guidelines by Cancer Type from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NNCN)
• Making a Healthy Shopping List with the American Cancer Society
• Make Exercise Work For You from the American Cancer Society

Diabetes

• 4 Steps to Manage Your Diabetes for Life (PDF) from the Diabetes Education
• Carbohydrate Counting – A Tool to Manage Your Blood Glucose from the Diabetes
• Simple Tips for Healthy Eating from the American Diabetes Association
• Simple Tips on Physical Activity from the American Diabetes Association

Fall Prevention

• 6 Steps to Prevent a Fall (PDF) from the National Coalition on Aging
• Falls Prevention and Awareness (PDF) from the National Coalition on Aging
• Fall Proofing Your Home from the National Institute of Health
• Personal Changes to Prevent Falls from the National Institute of Health

Heart Conditions

• Heart Conditions information library from the American Heart Association
• Ideas to Keep Your Family Active from the American Heart Association
• Easy and Healthy Cooking Tips from the American Heart Association

Kidney Disease

• You, Your Blood Pressure and Your Kidneys (PDF) from the American Kidney Association
• You, Diabetes and Your Kidneys (PDF) from the American Kidney Association
• Kidney Disease: High- and Low- Potassium Foods from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Medication Management

• Medication Safety: A Toolkit for Families from the Center for Improving Medication Management
• Medication Safety Tools from Consumer Med Safety

Stroke

Stroke is the number 5 cause of death and leading cause of debilitation in the United States. Below are some patient education resources from American Stroke Association.

Stroke Prevention

• Let’s Talk About Stroke, TIA and Warning Signs (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Hemorrhagic Strokes (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Ischemic Strokes (PDF) 
• Let’s Talk About Children and Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Risk Factors for Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About High Blood Pressure and Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Anticoagulants and Antiplatelet Agents (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Carotid Endarterectomy (PDF)

Life After Stroke

• Let’s Talk About a Stroke Diagnosis (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Complications After Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Changes Caused by Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Stroke and Aphasia (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Feeling Tired After Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Emotional Changes After Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Living at Home After Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Driving After Stroke (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About Stroke and Rehabilitation (PDF)
• Let’s Talk About the Stroke Family Caregiver (PDF)

Tobacco Cessation

Smoking is a major risk factor for stroke, heart disease, and respiratory conditions. We are committed to educating patients and caregivers about the risks of smoking and second-hand smoke.

• Frequently Asked Questions About Quitting from the American Cancer Society
• Simple Steps to Help You Quit from the American Diabetes Association
• Resources for Quitting from the American Heart Association

Wound Healing

• 5 Nutrition Tips to Promote Wound Healing from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Patient Education Libraries

These multimedia patient education libraries enable you to lookup your specific disease or condition.

• Patient Education Center provided by the Harvard Medical School
• MedLine Plus provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine