When talking with your doctor(s) and healthcare providers

 Be clear and have honest communication between you and your physician or health care team this can help you both make informed choices about your health. It’s important.

It’s important to be honest and upfront about your symptoms even if you feel embarrassed or shy. Have an open dialogue with your doctor or health care provider— ask questions to make sure you understand your diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. 

Think about what you want to get out of your appointment with a doctor, surgeon or specialist. Then write down all of your questions and concerns. Bring your medical information including a list of all the medicines you take and show it to your doctor to help make your visit more efficient. Bring a trusted relative or friend to your appointment.
COMPLETE THIS PRE-SURGERY QUESTION PROMPT LIST

Perhaps one of the best ways to find the support you need is to start with yourself. You can be your own greatest supporter. Practice being kind and gentle with yourself and keep your self-talk positive.

Understanding your family health history and sharing that information with your doctor can help your doctor determine what screenings and prevention tips are right for you. It is also recommended to share your health family history with your surrogate so they can discuss it if you are not able to communicate.  Knowing your family’s health can also help your doctor determine risks for future generations of your family.

 

Tips for Talking About Health History

Talking about health and medical records can be difficult for some, especially when discussing health habits and mental health. Here are some tips to help you navigate those conversations.

• Explain why. Some relatives may not be open to telling the whole family about their medical conditions because they don’t know its value. Let your family members know that they can help prevent or delay those same concerns for someone else in the family by sharing their health concerns.

• Help educate your family about common hereditary conditions and health habits. Some people may believe that they should only share life-threatening or severe medical conditions with their family, such as cancer. However, sharing less serious conditions such as high blood pressure or asthma is just as important. Talk to your doctor about common hereditary conditions and relay information to family members to understand what they should share.  
• Start by sharing some of your own health concerns. One way to get the conversation going is to open up about your health. Maybe you don’t live with any hereditary conditions, but you struggle with smoking or have trouble regulating your mood, and you’re concerned these might be signs or triggers to a bigger health risk. You can also bring up well-known family health conditions, such as if a family member passed from cancer, and ask if anyone knows if other family members also had the condition. Giving concrete examples can help relatives visualize how each other’s health affects one another.
• Celebrate the good health history as well as the concerns. Health history isn’t just about identifying health risks. It’s also about understanding positive health trends. Do members of your family regularly pass health screenings? Is your family free of smokers? Celebrate these wins to keep the conversation uplifting and hopeful.
• Ask questions. If family members aren’t openly sharing information or insisting they don’t have anything to share, ask questions to help open the dialogue.  If you’ve shared you’ve recently had a mole removed, ask, “Has anyone else in the family had moles removed or suffered from skin cancer?”  If you’ve let your family know you’ve been on antidepressants, ask, “Does anyone else ever feel depressed or anxious?” If you’re not getting substantial responses, try asking more open-ended questions such as, “What medical screenings do you regularly undergo,” or “What are some habits that could affect your health that you’d like to change, or that you are proud of?”
• Talk to your children as history happens. Kids should fully understand their family medical history by the time they start making their own medical decisions. Instead of waiting until kids are older, talk to your kids about health concerns within the family as they happen. If a grandparent develops cancer, such as breast or prostate, let your kids know. If your children are older, explain how some diseases can get passed down and how developing healthy habits, such as exercising and not smoking, can decrease their risk of developing the condition in the future.
• Encourage everyone to talk to their doctors. Knowing about your family health history is great, but it’s only the first step in preventing or delaying conditions. Record the information about your family’s health in a binder or on a sharable computer document, and make sure all members of the family have access to it. Then, encourage relatives to share the information with their doctors.

Whether it’s someone to help you cook meals or do laundry, having an extra set of hands around can be a huge help.

Just be sure to let your loved ones know what you need help with and when you need it; that way, they can plan their visits accordingly. And, of course, don’t hesitate to return the favor once you’re feeling better!

 

Talking with a Friend – Tell them how much they mean to you.

1.  “You’re one of my best friends and I don’t know where I’d be without you.”
2.  “I admire you so much for your strength and persistence even when things get tough.
3.  “I know I don’t say it nearly enough, but I love you.”
4.  “You’re such a light in my life.

 

What do you say to someone who has bad health news?

• “I’m here for you.”
• “If you need someone to listen, I can be that person for you.”
• “Let’s try to get through this together.”

•  Saying things like, “I see that you’re really having a hard time and I’m here for you when you need me” can let the person know that you see their pain and want to be there for them. Anything you can say to help them feel comforted, less alone, and more connected to life is extremely helpful.

 

How to Talk to Someone About Getting Themselves Help

1.  Ask open-ended questions. Open-ended questions mean that the person has to reply with more than a “yes” or “no.” Usually, open-ended questions start with how, what, or where.
2.  Be supportive.
3.  Show you’re listening.
4.  Bring it all together.

5.  What is the best thing to say to someone who is struggling?
6.  Saying things like, “I see that you’re really having a hard time and I’m here for you when you need me” can let the person know that you see their pain and want to be there for them. Anything you can say to help them feel comforted, less alone, and more connected to life is extremely helpful.

 

IF YOU LIVE ALONE   

• According to an AARP initiative, causes of social isolation include poor physical and mental health, poorly designed communities, and major life events such as loss of friends or a partner. Risk factors include lack of transportation, mobility impairment, untreated hearing loss, and limited opportunity to engage with others.
• Health outcomes in older adults may be improved by promoting social engagement and helping seniors maintain interpersonal relationships, according to a  AARP 2012 study.
• It can be overwhelming to fight loneliness alone. That’s why community-based organizations (place of worship, Grange, Rural Minds, Masons, KofC, Garden Club, Wounded Warriors, etc.), senior services staff, caregivers, relatives, and neighbors play such an important role in making a difference for older adults who live alone.  Join a community organization, you need them and they need you.  Get involved in a project. 
• Confide/divulge to a trusted friend, communicate your health history, current situations, mental state, worries, concerns, depression, habits with someone.  Sharing information can relieve stress when you hear yourself express these thoughts to others.  Find a good listener in your life. 

 

MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN – DIAL 988

National Grange is a partner with Rural Minds, we encourage all who struggle with mental health or suicidal ideas to visit this wonderful resource for those with mental health needs:  Dial 988 for immediate help.

Rural Americans are known for having a solid work ethic and will power. They aim to meet every challenge with the determination to overcome and persevere. But mental illness can affect a person’s ability to meet life’s challenges and mental illness is one fight that rural America is losing. Compared with their urban counterparts, rural Americans have a higher rate of depression. Health Disparities in Rural America and suicide rates of people living in rural counties are 64-68% higher than those living in urban areas.

Stress factors unique to rural life include a weakening agricultural economy, financial instability, and a solitary lifestyle.

If you or someone you know is suicidal or in emotional distress Dial 988 for 24/7 hour support.  If this is a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room. 

•   See below for an excerpt:  website www.RuralMinds.org

RURAL MINDS™ SERVES THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF RURAL AMERICANS BY:

• Listening to and providing a forum for courageous people to share their experiences with mental illness.

• Connecting rural Americans across the country with existing mental health resources including crisis and suicide hotlines, via www.RuralMinds.org.

• Identifying gaps in mental health information and services.
• Partnering with community leaders and organizations on mental health initiatives.
• Collaborating with individuals and organizations to improve rural mental health including rural residents, donors and volunteers, large and small nonprofits, and socially responsible corporations with a strong interest in the health of rural Americans, and.
• Developing new educational resources and support services to address the unmet needs for mental health in rural communities throughout the United States.

 

TAKE THE PUBLIC SURVEY