Helping to cope with serious illnesses
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NORWICH – Three specialists will offer patients and family members strategies for handling the emotional, financial and medical aspects of facing the diagnosis of a chronic or progressive disease in “Diagnosed with a Serious Illness? What to do Next” on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 6:30 – 8 p.m. in The William W. Backus Hospital’s entry level conference rooms.Barbara Sinko, a medical caseworker at Backus, will talk about what happens if you are hospitalized and you have a crisis. Registered nurse Mary Ann Duchene, of Backus Home Health Care, will discuss the services and resources that homecare agencies offer, and offer coping tips for dealing with a diagnosis. Backus Palliative Care Program Coordinator and Registered Nurse Liz Fracchia will talk about end-of-life and palliative care.
The event is free but registration is requested by calling 860-889-8331 ext. 2495.
“When you are diagnosed with a chronic illness, such as emphysema, kidney disease, heart failure or cancer, there is a lot of medical care involved,” Fracchia said. “We want people to know what resources are available to them.”
The event is part of the Backus Health Education Department monthly lecture series “Family Matters,” which is held the second Thursday of each month from 6:30-8 p.m. The March program will be “Strains, Sprains and Pains in the Back