June 2022

Nick Turkas of the Arthritis Foundation joined us to explain the Walking With Ease program, an evidence-based program combining self-paced walks with group discussion and support. The program helps people improve arthritis symptoms, improve balance and strength, and improve confidence in one's ability to manage arthritis symptoms. One model of the program utilizes a trained group leader (training course available through the Arthritis Foundation) with participants meeting three times a week for six weeks. Another model is a self-guided format and participants utilize an Arthritis Foundation guidebook to help develop a plan for walking, address motivation, and learn to exercise safely. This link takes you to the AF website with additional information about the Walk With Ease Program.

Nick offered his contact information for anyone seeking additional information about the program: nturkas@arthritis.org.

TOMORROW: Wednesday June 8, 10:00-noon

Join by Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83885064222

Since he began taking a nutrition class at Cross Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, Henry Fuller has made positive changes in his lifestyle. He eats more fresh fruits and vegetables, checks food labels, and eats healthier portion sizes.

“Before, I didn’t really consider what I ate,” he said. “If it was something I liked, I ate it. Through the class, I’m more cognizant of what I take in.”

As a result, Henry feels better. “I’m less lethargic,” he said. “When I wake up, I’m not so groggy. I have more energy, so the class has definitely benefitted me.”

Henry learned about the class from the instructor, Linda Radder, an Advocate Aurora Faith Community Nurse who has served Cross over the past 17 years.

“I thought the class was a great idea,” he said. “So, I said, ‘Okay, let’s see what it’s all about.’ The class has been very informational.”

The nutrition class began as an initiative called HEALE– Healthy Eating and Active Living Environment, which was a collaboration of several neighborhood organizations brought together by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to help residents in the 53205-zip code learn how to eat healthier and exercise more. Cross Lutheran is blessed to continue this work with funding from ACS and the Kohl’s Healthy Family program.

The class meets twice a month and includes an educational component, meal, exercise, and resources.

Among the topics covered so far: how to eat well, even when on a budget, the importance of exercising, and how eating less sodium, carbohydrates and sugar can improve health – and even help prevent cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases.

Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Ill., has an open Faith Community Nurse position. The primary responsibility is to integrate faith and health by coordinating health and wellness initiatives within the congregation and local community, promoting whole person (mind, body, spirit) care for congregation members, identifying opportunities and referrals within the community, and nurturing disease prevention education.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Grace’s Senior Pastor, David Lyle, at dlyle@graceriverforest.org.

Residents in South Chicago will have a new clinic available to them from 3:00-5:00 p.m., on the first Friday of the month, at Masjid Al Farooq Healthcare (MAFCHC), 8950 S Stony Island, Chicago.

MAFCHC will offer affordable healthcare services from medical doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, and other medical providers from various fields.

Blood pressure and blood screenings,

Counselling,

Referral to care,

Health education,

Mental and social health services.

The clinic needs volunteers in the field of nursing, medicine, and pharmacy. If you are interested in giving your time, or if you have questions, contact Bashiru Habib (President) or Rilwan Martins (CEO).

Ever have a congregational member look to you for a referral for services? Or have a family that needs extra support and you aren’t sure where to send them? Need to know more about programs that are available in the neighborhood you are serving? Advocate Aurora Health recognizes the need for an up-to-date, reliable, tested list of community services that are easily accessed with a click of a button.

The Advocate Aurora Health Local Services Guide, powered by NowPow, allows you to find free and low-cost options for food, safe housing, child care, transportation and more.

This resource can help you support the people you serve and it’s provided free-of-charge to you!

The FCN knowledge sharing platform was created to provide a safe, private community for all faith community nurses and those interested in spiritual care in nursing with the ability to communicate electronically. The platform is free and community member emails are not shared or sold outside of the platform.

Nurses from around the world interact individually and through the many interest groups that make up the FCN Knowledge Sharing Platform.

Subscribe to Faith Community Nurse Journal, Perspectives

Perspectives: Nursing Spiritual Care and Faith Community Nursing Practice is a publication of the Spiritual Care Association Nursing Division and the Westberg Institute. It features research news, educational articles and practical stories about the different aspects of faith community nursing practice along with spiritual care information and resources for nurses in all practice settings. Perspectives is published twice annually with occasional special themed issues and is a free benefit exclusively available to SCA members.

Click here to learn more.

Presenter will be Kathy Sanchez-Nelson, BSN, FCN. She has been a Faith Community Nurse since 2016; Registered Nurse for over 20 years. Assistant Director of Nursing and Director of Nursing in long term care settings over ten years. Nursing School instructor in clinical settings for two years.

Learning Outcome (s)

Seniors present to the Faith Community Nurse with unique medical and spiritual issues. For example, the elderly face grief and loss differently than non-elderly. As negative aging effects lead to decrease on everyday functioning, the elderly need to rely more on adaptive strategies. This talk will address some of those resources and strategies that are available to the Faith Community Nurse.

Cost: $15 for members and $35 for nonmembers.

The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity explores how nurses can work to reduce health disparities and promote equity, while keeping costs at bay, utilizing technology, and maintaining patient and family-focused care into 2030.

This work builds on the foundation set out by The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2011) report.

Faith Community Nurses International offers a growing library of Practice Toolkits on topics like:

Faith Community Nurse International offers continuing education videos on a variety of topics, such as advance care planning, fall prevention, telehealth, mental health and more.

You can enjoy free video offerings, as well. Even though they do not offer CEs, they still offer valuable content.

Click here to access back copies of the Faith Community Nurse e-newsletter, COVID-19 updates, mental health e-newsletter and other Faith and Health Partnerships publications.