Issuu

105 E. Floyce Street, Ruleville, MS 38771 www.northsunflower.com

Who qualifies for hospice care? • • •

People with an illness causing limited life expectancy Patients with families who choose no extreme measure to sustain life. Patients and families who have chosen care that focuses on symptom management rather than curative treatment.

COVERED SERVICES Emotional & Spiritual Support • Respite Care • Crisis Counseling • Medical Social Services • 24-Hour On Call Availability • Support for the Whole Family

Personal Care Assistance • Personal Management • Incontinence Supplies • Routine Breaks for Caregivers

Medical Management • Medications • Advanced Nursing Care • Short-term Inpatient Care • Physician Directed Services • Medical Equipment & Supplies

Hospice appropriate individuals may exhibit some or all of the following: • Recurrent infections • • • •

Progressive weight loss Frequent hospitalizations Specific decline in condition Deteriorating mental abilities

Here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To make a referral, call toll free (844) NSCARES or (844) 672-2737 Counties Served Bolivar, Carroll, Coahoma, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Leflore, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, ower Tallahatchie, Washington & Yalobusha ower,

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840 N. Oak Avenue, Ruleville, MS 38771

Do you gasp, or stop breathing during sleep? Do you often feel tired, even after a good night’s sleep? Have your energy levels decreased? Do you have trouble concentrating? Do you snore? Does anyone in your family, have a history of Sleep Apnea? The more you answered “yes” the higher the probability you have Sleep Apnea - “a sleep disorder characterized by normal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing during sleep.” If Sleep Apnea is left untreated, you are at risk for: heart attack, heart disease, stroke, fatigue related accidents, high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction. CALL OUR REFERRAL LINE TODAY: (662) 756-4000 Visit www.northsunflower.com for more information

This institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and Provider. NSMC Complies with applicable federal civil rights and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, creed ethnicity, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, association, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.

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A message from our hospital leaders

Courtney Phillips: CEO of SSCH

For more than 80 years, South Sunflower County Hospital has proudly served the residents of Sunflower County and the surrounding communities. In that time, South Sunflower County Hospital has evolved into a 21stcentury medical center that has grown to become one of the leading hospitals in rural health. Still, even with millions in upgrades and generations of staff, there is one thing that has remained constant: our mission to provide financially sustainable, health care services for our community by employing dedicated and compassionate staff focused on providing excellent quality patient care and superior customer service. We believe it’s essential

that our community receives access to the finest health care options available because it’s our home and the people we serve are our family. Whether investing in cutting-edge technology, equipment, modern facilities, physicians, specialty providers, and staff to expand and enhance our services, South Sunflower County Hospital is continuously seeking ways to meet the evolving needs of our community. We’ve also discovered that it’s not enough to wait until patients come to us seeking relief for a medical problem, we need to provide outreach efforts, too. From health fairs with free screenings to volunteer hours donated by our staff members, we’ve led the way in helping members of

our communities prevent and manage a host of conditions, diseases, and illnesses. In the process, we’ve become the health care organization people turn to for assistance, education, and yes, health care. At South Sunflower County Hospital, we are mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, neighbors and friends, teammates and coaches, students and teachers, community residents and leaders. But most of all, we are caring medical professionals who provide you with convenient high-quality care that exceeds your expectations each and every time you walk through our doors. We are proud of our accomplishments, growth, community involvement,

Courtney Phillips SSCH CEO proud to be associated with the community leaders, employees, physicians, volunteers, and others who contribute to the success of our hometown hospital and the betterment of Sunflower County and the surrounding areas. Thank you for choosing South Sunflower County Hospital. It is our privilege to serve you.

Daniel Ceja: Executive Director NSMC Since 1950, North Sunflower Medical Center, originally known as North Sunflower County Hospital has been serving the Mississippi Delta. We have made many changes throughout the years and are proud to continue to serve. NSMC’s Board of Trustees and the entire staff pledges to continue to provide only the highest standards in quality health care. We pride ourselves in offering personalized care to all who enter our doors and are proud of our friendly, courteous staff who constantly seek to be better educated in the latest techniques and medical training available. North Sunflower Medical Foundation is the charitable, non-profit, 501(c)(3) fundraising arm for North Sunflower Medical Center. The Founda-

tion operates for the benefit of the Medical Center and the residents of Sunflower County and surrounding areas by assisting with the enhancement of quality health care, to provide grants for educational purposes to ensure the availability of health care professionals, and to partner with local governmental agencies in matters related to health care. North Sunflower Medical Center offers a stateof-the-art Surgery Center, inpatient and outpatient therapy, and a Sleep Center within The Beacon Wellness Center. We offer a wide variety of outpatient surgeries, inpatient and outpatient cardiac, physical, occupation and speech therapies following surgery, strokes, new diagnosis of diabetes, etc… As we continue to partner with other facilities,

such as University of Mississippi Medical Center to provide cutting-edge technology with real-time teleemergency medicine, patients at North Sunflower Medical Center have immediate access to specialists in Jackson, MS without ever leaving home. North Sunflower Medical Center has become known throughout the Mid-South and other parts of the country as “The Little Hospital That Could.” We have worked hard for the past 70 years to earn your trust and loyalty. We pledge to continue to offer our patients the latest medical equipment, beautifully appointed patient rooms, friendly staff, excellent care, and delicious meals. In addition, we have some of the most loyal and dedicated staff that are willing to put patients’ needs

Daniel Ceja NSMC Exectuive Director above their own. This dedication has been solidified during the hard times of this pandemic. We want to thank our supporters, patients, community, and staff for helping make what North Sunflower Medical Center is and will continue to be. So, come join our family and see why people all over the Delta are saying, “Take me to Ruleville.”

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More than medicine Hospice of North Sunflower in Ruleville continues its mission to provide care and support to families

ev. Larry Braswell has been a pastor for the better part of four decades, and he was no stranger to hospice ministries when his mother was entering the final days of her life a little over two years ago. Braswell had been back home in the Delta for several years after spending over three decades away, and he was very familiar with Hospice of North Sunflower. In fact, the organization had even recruited him to become a chaplain. “I had seen Hospice of North Sunflower work in families that I had ministered to over the years,” said the Cleveland Calvary Baptist Church pastor. “I had seen Hospice of North Sunflower work very well with families.” But it wasn’t until Braswell experienced the services themselves that he realized this was something he had to do. “They treated my mom with such dignity, and they were so sensitive to us, my brother and me and our wives,” Braswell said. “It was very touching to me.” Braswell said the respect and dignity his mother and family received from the medical staff and the chaplains was overwhelming. So much so that when Hospice of North Sunflower reached out to him again, he knew it was something he had to do. “Because they had ministered so well to me and I saw how important that was,” Braswell said. “Having been ministered to myself, I said this is something I want to be a part of.” Braswell’s mother only

received hospice services for a few days, but the family continued to receive counseling and encouragement months after she passed. Those are the kinds of things Hospice of North Sunflower are known for, according to Wendy Gore, who oversees the organization, which is part of the North Sunflower Medical Center system in Ruleville. “They go in and love on the family, not just the patient,” Gore said. “We take care of everybody, not just the patient that is dying.” Gore and Braswell said that it is not uncommon for hospice to follow a family for 13-18 months after the patient has died, continuing to offer support. “They are constantly talking to my bereavement coordinator a whole year after the patient dies, because some people get over it immediately and some people it takes a long

Wendy Gore, Hospice of North Sunflower

get their medicines. Sometimes when patients are admitted to hospice, she said, staff go out and make sure they are

“They treated my mom with such dignity, and they were so sensitive to us, my brother and me and our wives. It was very touching to me.” Rev. Larry Braswell

time to get over a death,” Gore said. “Everybody is different.” Gore said that hospice staff provide other services that are key in rural areas where patients may not be taking their medications or may not have the means to

taking their medications, and there are times when patients are discharged because their health improves. Gore said that this service is key in a place like Ruleville, because hospice provides support to so

many who would otherwise not have it. “I think there would be a lot of people dying alone,” Gore said of the prospect of having no hospice services in the area. “When my nurses go out on a death call, and they’re actively dying, they don’t leave their side. A lot of people will come out and say, ‘Oh yeah, they’re dying. Give them this.’ And they’ll go home…We stay there until the patient passes. And then we take care of calling the coroner, the funeral home and we clean the body.” Gore said Hospice of North Sunflower is about more than just medical care. It’s about ministering and supporting families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

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Getting the best look NSMC’s radiology department has the technology in place to better diagnose and treat patients

t’s been just over a year since the first COVID-19 case was reported in Mississippi. It didn’t take long for the first case to reach Sunflower County and almost completely transform the local medical institutions overnight. But the radiology department at North Sunflower Medical Center was up to the task, and thanks to its state-of-the-art equipment, the department was prepared to face the challenges of the last year. “We’re the first people they (COVID patients) see,” NSMC Radiology Director Alice Pyles said. “They first thing they’re (ER doctor) going to do is a chest x-ray.” The novel coronavirus has affected just about every department of every hospital and clinic, but radiology is one that has consistently risen to the challenge and has helped diagnose and treat COVID patients. “We need to check their chests and see if they’re improving or not improving,” Pyles said. “We need to let the doctor know so the doctor can make different protocols that they need to do in their treatment.” Pyles said that patients who test positive for the virus get a chest x-ray, most times daily, and many get a CT scan. She said the CT scan is important, because it allows the radiologist and doctor to see things chest x-rays sometimes do not

pick up. “You couldn’t actually see the lungs being overwhelmed with the COVID virus in the chest x-ray,” she said. “But there were patterns with the chest xray that our radiologist could see and on the report he might suggest this patient have a CT of the chest… We found out later that with the CT, you could actually start seeing some of the COVID process in their lungs.” All this is made possible by technology NSMC had already invested in before the virus like the Philips Brilliance CT 64-slice machine. This technology helps in more ways than just treating COVID patients. In fact, NSMC just came off of National Heart Month, where it provides a heart study for patients that normally would be around $3,000 worth of testing for $125. Pyles, who arrived at NSMC six years ago, said that this service has caught multiple cardiology issues in patients that perhaps would have gone undetected otherwise. “It was eye opening for the hospital to have that kind of technology,” she said. “My eyes were opened, to say the least.” Pyles said that the radiology department also has technology that allows doctors to closely follow lifelong smokers to monitor changes in any abnormalities found in different scans, especially in the lungs. NSMC also offers gener-

Alice Pyles, Radiology Director, NSMC

al radiology services, and there is a technologist on staff 24/7 at the hospital. Procedures provided: Diagnostic X-Rays with Digital Imaging

Cardiac CTA Scan CAT Scan Procedures Calcium Scoring Low Dose Lung Screening

64-Slice CT Scanner Cardiac CTA MRI The new Philips Brilliance CT 64-slice is one of Fluoroscopic the most advanced CT sysExamination tems on the market. This system can expand clinical Ultrasound Procedures boundaries in cardiac, pulincluding Echos monary, trauma and pediDoppler Procedures atric imaging. It is built on MRI: available every innovative Essence TechTuesday morning, nology that delivers image Wednesday afternoon and quality, does efficiency and Thursday morning rapid reconstruction times. Pain Management without going to Surgery

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Tested and proven NSMC’s lab department operates like most large hospitals

iagnosing patients as fast as possible is key to getting the best treatment. Having a lab on hand that can run tests without having to send to an outside entity has been an invaluable part of North Sunflower Medical Center’s success. “We pretty much do a wide range of testing here at North Sunflower,” said Danielle Ervin, lab director at NSMC. “Of course, you know our testing aids the physicians with diagnosing and treating the patient.” The lab is not the biggest in the state, Ervin said, but its technicians do more than most in rural areas. “Although we are a small lab, we kind of operate like a large facility,” Ervin said. “We do clinical chemistry that involves things like the CMP, which is your comprehensive metabolic panel. A lot of small facilities don’t do those types of tests. They send those out to reference labs, but we try to do a lot of things inhouse, because Ruleville is like that hub of the Delta, so we want to try to keep everything where we can diagnose our patients very quickly.” Ervin said the lab offers a variety of services, that sometimes cut 24-48 hours off the time in diagnosing patients. The lab also has a blood bank department, she said that provides quick blood types for patients that need transfusions. They can also grow cultures in the micro department. “We kind of do a lot

here,” she said. Ervin said that over the past year, vitamin D level testing has seen a big increase. Vitamin D, which is a hormone, has been linked in some studies as being beneficial in fighting off various ailments. That, along with B12 studies, are done in-house at NSMC. Ervin said it’s important for the community to have services like this because patients do not have to go outside the area to have them done. “Your patients don’t have to go outside to Jackson or travel to different areas to have this done,” she said. “A lot of people don’t have the means of getting to places. They don’t have the means to go to Greenwood or Jackson. If we can do it here, it saves them a lot of money. It helps out a whole lot. It’s worth it, serving our patients in all aspects.” —————————— NSMC is certified by Medicare, Medicaid, and CLIA for all clinical testing performed. The lab participates in the College of American Pathologists and State Board of Health Proficiency testing programs. At NSMC, quality is not compromised for expediency. Tests ordered outside of our wide range at NSMC will be forwarded to our reference laboratory. Lab Corp Laboratories, a leader in innovative diagnostic testing, provides NSMC with daily pick-ups and deliveries. Test results from every section of the laboratory are routinely monitored for

Danielle Ervin, Lab Director, NSMC

reliability, precision and accuracy by both internal and external quality control programs. In addition, the laboratory undergoes periodic onsite inspections in order to meet requirements of these programs. NSMC Lab Techs/Phlebotomists are licensed personnel and are qualified in all areas of the laboratory.

They can help in answering any questions you may have. We offer full service, state-of-the-art equipment to help facilitate your needs. Hours of Operation: The laboratory is available to provide services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, contact 662.756.1626.

“Although we are a small lab, we kind of operate like a large facility. We do clinical chemistry that involves things like the CMP, which is your comprehensive metabolic panel. A lot of small facilities don’t do those types of tests. They send those out to reference labs, but we try to do a lot of things inhouse, because Ruleville is like that hub of the Delta, so we want to try to keep everything where we can diagnose our patients very quickly.” Danielle Ervin

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FREE

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Screening Services Services Oﬀered:

• clinical breast exam • mammograms • pap tests

• pelvic exams • diagnostic testing (if results are abnormal) • referrals for treatment

Women are eligible if they meet all of the following criteria: • 40-64 years old • household income at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level • uninsured or underinsured • not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid • resident of the state of Mississippi

Statewide Screening Services For screening service locations, contact: Mississippi State Department of Health Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program 1-800-721-7222

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840 N. Oak Avenue, Ruleville, MS 38771 (662) 756-4000

Swingbed a subacute (inpatient) program for Medicare patients who are ready for discharge under Medicare criteria but need a little extra care before they go home. The goal of NSMC’s Swingbed program is to maximize your recovery. Our expert medical rehabilitation team is committed to helping you return to as active and productive life as possible. Our Team includes Physical, Occupational, Speech & Respiratory Therapy, as well as, excellent nursing care. For more information on our Swingbed services, call

(662) 756-1647

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The risk factors for breast cancer

o two women are the same.

But when it comes to breast cancer, women from all walks of life share various risk factors for a disease that the World Health Organization indicates is the most frequent cancer among women. Risk factors are anything that affects the likelihood that individuals will get a certain disease. In regard to breast cancer, the American Breast Cancer Foundation notes that various factors, some that result from lifestyle choices and others that are not changeable, can increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Recognizing these risk factors can help women make any necessary changes and even highlight the importance of routine cancer screenings that can detect the presence of the disease in its earliest, most treatable stages.

Lifestyle-related risk factors The ABCF notes that certain habits or behaviors can increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer. But the good news is that women who understand the link between certain habits or behaviors and breast cancer can avoid those behaviors to decrease their risk of developing the disease. According to Breastcancer.org, the following are some habits, behaviors or lifestyle choices that can increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer. • Alcohol consumption: Breastcancer.org notes that researchers have uncovered links between the consumption of alcoholic beverages and hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. One study found that women who consume three alcoholic beverages per week have a 15 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who don’t drink at all. And while

research into the connection is limited, a 2009 study found a link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer recurrence. • Sedentary lifestyle: Exercise consumes and controls blood sugar and limits blood levels of insulin growth factor. That’s an important connection, as insulin growth factor can affect how breast cells grow and behave. A sedentary lifestyle also can increase a woman’s risk of being obese, which the ABCF notes is a risk factor for breast cancer among postmenopausal women. • Smoking: Smoking has long been linked to cancer, and Breastcancer.org notes that smoking has been linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women.

notes that roughly two out of three invasive breast cancers occur in women age 55 and older. Women cannot change their ages, but recognizing the link between age and breast cancer risk is important, as such a recognition may compel more women 55 and older to prioritize cancer screening. Gender and family history are two additional unchangeable risk factors for breast cancer. Women are much more likely to get breast cancer than men. In addition, Breastcancer.org notes that between 5 and 10 percent of breast cancers are believed to be caused by abnormal genes that are passed from parent to child. Women are not helpless in the fight against breast cancer. Knowledge of breast canUnchangeable risk cer, including its various risk factors factors, is a great weapon Unfortunately, many risk against it as women look to factors for breast cancer are reduce their risk of developbeyond women’s control. ing the disease. For example, the ABCF

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840 N. Oak Avenue, Ruleville, MS 38771 (662) 756-1609 www.northsunflower.com

Walter B. Crook Nursing Facility is a 60 Private Bed Nursing Facility, accepting Medicaid, Nursing Home Insurance and Private Pay. Of the 60 private rooms, 22 have private baths.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Services

All Private Rooms Transportation Laundry Services Licensed Social Worker Beauty Shop Services Wound Care Services 24 Hours Nursing Care Rehabilitation Services Loving Family Atmosphere RNs, LPNs, CNAs & Orderlies Group and Individual Activities Outpatient Behavioral Health Access to Emergency Department

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Christine Herrington demonstrates SSCH’s dry needling treatment for chronic pain and range of motion issues.

Managing the pain

SSCH’s dry needling treatment has helped countless patients reduce pain and regain range of motion

here are a ton of serious illnesses that plague Delta patients each year. But there are few ailments that are as prevalent as chronic pain. South Sunflower County Hospital has become a leader in the region when it comes to therapies that are helping patients with both pain and range of motion issues, especially through dry needling. “We’re able to relieve a lot of pain, increase range of motion and really just help with general improved mobility in a lot of areas where people have not had a lot of success,” said Christine Herrington, Director of Rehab at SSCH through Midsouth Rehab Services. Herrington said that dry

needling techniques date back over 50 years. In a way, it was discovered by accident during a study when doctors were looking at the efficacy of different liquid drugs like steroids for muscle pain. They added dry needles, on top of a saline solution, as a control, but they soon found that the dry needles had the same, if not better results as the liquid injections. “That was really interesting, and that was when they started to say, ‘There’s something going on here,’” Herrington said. Herrington said SSCH does not offer acupuncture, but the needles are similar to what would be used in that procedure. SSCH also offers electrical stimulation in conjunc-

tion with the dry needling process. “There’s not a muscle we can’t dry needle,” Herrington said. Patients are typically referred to physical therapy by their physicians. Herrington said the procedure is targeting dysfunctional points inside the muscle itself. She uses anywhere from four to 20 needles during a treatment. “Some people have great response to one treatment. Sometimes we have to do several weeks of treatment to get the response we’re looking for,” she said. Herrington said she has had patients who have had extreme limited range of motion go through the procedure and gain as much as 60 degrees range

of motion by the end of therapy, as well as decreased pain. She said the physical therapy department also sees a lot of local young athletes, who typically have knee and extremity issues. “We work a lot with (Mississippi Delta Community College),” she said. “We work a lot with the high schools, Gentry, IA. We get a lot of their athletes who come through here.” Herrington said that during the past year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a slowdown in younger patients, but she expects that to pick back up as more schools open their athletic departments over the next few months.

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Preventive care and the pandemic

rocrastination is not typically considered a good thing. But as the world spent much of 2020 confronting the COVID-19 pandemic, putting certain things on hold became part of the new normal. In an effort to reduce infection rates, public health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization urged people to limit their in-person interactions with people outside of their own households. As a result, many of the things people do on a regular basis, including seeing their physicians for wellness visits, were rescheduled. It’s understandable that many people postponed preventive care and wellness visits during the pandemic, but it’s also potentially dangerous. For example, researchers with the Health Care Cost Institute found that childhood vaccinations declined by roughly 60

percent in mid-April 2020 compared with 2019. Other screenings and preventive exams, including mammograms, pap smears and colonoscopies, also declined by significant percentages during the pandemic compared to the previous year. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion notes the power of preventive care is undeniable. In fact, the NCCDPHP points out that, while chronic diseases are among the most common and costly of all health problems, they’re also among the most preventable. Annual wellness visits and early detection efforts like routine screenings for at-risk populations can uncover problems before they escalate into something more serious. In addition, annual physicals, which are provided free of charge through many health insurance policies, provide great opportunities for doctors to advise patients on their overall health and how to

improve it if exams and • Inquire about office blood work turn up any procedures. Doctors try to red flags. keep patients healthy, not get them sick. Various Visiting a doctor dur- medical organizations, ing the pandemic including the American As vital as preventive Academy of Family Physicare can be, it’s under- cians, have provided thorstandable if people are hes- ough checklists to help itant to visit their doctors physicians prepare their during the pandemic. offices to welcome patients But patients can take cer- during the pandemic. tain steps to calm their Patients can ease their nerves about booking pre- concerns by contacting ventive care appointments their doctors’ offices and during the pandemic. asking them about their • Schedule telemedicine pandemic-related protoappointments. The num- cols. ber of telemedicine • Don’t hesitate to make appointments has skyrock- requests. There’s no such eted during the pandemic. thing as being too safe While the transition from from COVID-19, so predominantly in-person patients can work with appointments to telemedi- their doctors to calm their cine might have been a fears even further. Ask to reluctant and rocky one at pay copays over the phone the start of the pandemic, and request that the front many doctors’ offices have desk call you when the since firmly established doctor is ready so you don’t their telemedicine proto- have to sit in the waiting cols. The Mayo Clinic room. advises patients who have Preventive care is an not yet tried telemedicine important component of to contact their doctors’ health care, even during a offices to arrange an pandemic. appointment.

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3 Ways to Manage Stress and Anxiety Through Self-Regulation

ccording to a study published in the December 2020 edition of the American Medical Association (JAMA), internet searches by people looking for information on “anxiety” and “panic attacks” were at an all-time high between March 16 and April 14, 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic was first declared a national emergency. This study was conducted using data from Google Trends that dated back 16 years. One year later there is widespread concern regarding the damaging mental health effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Not only have large groups of our population been adversely affected, such as children and the elderly, but also unknown numbers of individuals have experienced significant loss due to the death of family members, friends, community members, and co-workers. Prior to the pandemic, the American Psychiatric Association had already recognized anxiety disorders as “the most common mental disorders affecting nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives.” Stress and anxiety have always been a part of our human experience, but this last year has truly tested our ability to cope and bounce back. Most of us have been confined to the indoors, separated from loved ones, and fearful that we or our family might contract the virus. Technology has been helpful in maintaining some level of continuation for many businesses and

schools but has also brought increased stress and burnout related to cyber separation and telecommunication overload. Truly we have a new appreciation for being able to socially connect through the simple niceties of eating out, speaking face to face, shaking hands, and hugging friends. The loss of social bonding and heightened fear of the unknown have led to an increase in anxiety and depression. We long for the day that our lives will once again be socially “normal.” Stress and anxiety are both psychological responses. Stress is usually triggered by external factors such as a pressing deadline at work, fight with your spouse, or diagnosis of a chronic illness. Anxiety, on the other hand, is persistent, excessive worry that does not go away even with the absence of stressors. Both psychological reactions activate the stress response (fight, flight, or freeze response). When activated this response increases the heart rate and blood pressure, increases secretion of stress hormones, and decreases secretion of antiaging hormones. This stress response originally served as our emergency protective mechanism. It proved quite effective in primitive times for fighting off predators and dealing with other life-threatening situations. Once the dangerous situation had passed, the body naturally returned to a balanced state. In our world today we experience stress and anxiety from multiple sources

Martha Catlette, PhD, PMHNP-BC, HWNC-BC that include personal, family, work-related, technological, environmental, and global. If we do not learn to manage our response to these continuous stressors, the body and mind will continue to react as if imminent danger is near. When the stress response becomes continuous at a low level, it causes wear and tear and leads to chronic illnesses which include cardiovascular, digestive, and autoimmune, just to name a few. Chronic psychological stress and anxiety can contribute to anger, irritability, fatigue, insomnia and may lead to anxiety and mood disorders. What can we do to reduce the damaging effects of psychological stress? Many seek mental health treatment from a trained professional which traditionally has been comprised of talk therapy and/or medication. Seeking professional support for managing anxiety and stress can be an effective way to manage symptoms and find ways to cope with personal prob-

lems, however only about 50% of those who seek mental health treatment follow through. Reasons that have been given for discontinuing the treatment plan include concern over medication side effects and fear of addiction, lack of patient education, poor follow-up, too expensive, time factors, and lack of a therapeutic relationship. While professional help is often essential in shortterm management, learning self-regulation for the management of stress and anxiety provides a source of self-care that can have long-term benefits for personal wellbeing. Through self-regulation we can learn to actively manage out thoughts, emotions, and behavior. This is a new concept to many, since there is the prevalent belief that we have no control over our mental, emotional, and physical responses and that we are destined for a certain negative outcome. Self-regulation recognizes that our mindbody system is capable of correcting itself through CONTINUED, Page 21

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Improving lives

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SSCH’s LSVT Big therapy is bringing a better quality of life for patients who have Parkinson’s Disease

hen a patient gets the news they have Parkinson’s Disease, it can be a devastating diagnosis. But there is hope for individuals suffering from this disease, and the rehabilitation department at South Sunflower County Hospital is turning that hope into reality for numerous Parkinson’s patients, thanks to a new program called LSVT Big. The certified program has already brought results for local patients, according to Katherine Flautt, who is certified in administering the therapy. “With that neurological disease, you have a lot of patients that have a tremor, stuttering of speech or a shuffling gait,” Flautt said. Flautt said LSVT Big began as a speech therapy for Parkinson’s patients back in the mid-1980s. “They realized with all these test subjects, they thought if this was able to increase the loudness of your vocal chords, could we work with the upper extremities (arms and legs)?” she said. “With this tremor, you also get a lot of flection in the elbows and the knees and kind of a bent, curved-over posture.” Flautt said the doctors developed seven core exercises for patients with Parkinson’s. “They are targeting opening up, making bigger movements that kind of rewire the brain in a sense to realize that they can make bigger movements,” she said. Flautt said these exercises help to train the brain to work muscles it wouldn’t normally work with

Parkinson’s. “The terrible thing about Parkinson’s Disease is most patients don’t realize they’re making the shuffling gait, the small movements,” Flautt said. “They’re not really reaching out as much as they’re able to, because their brain tells them that’s their max level.” The exercises tell the brain to make bigger movements, take bigger steps and for patients to pick up their legs, among other things. Flautt said she has worked with a patient who was not an extreme case when she entered therapy, who has been able to return to driving and working in her garden, because the exercises have decreased the risk of her falling. “She’s not shuffling in

management, exercise and input from a neurologist or a family doctor that is certified in that area. Flautt said this is by no means a cure for Parkin-

“We’re just trying to get these patients a better quality of life, some motivation and some hope,” she said. “When they hear Parkinson’s they think their life is over. They think they’re going to be in a wheelchair. They think they can’t do anything, and they’ll need 24hour sitters, and that’s just not the facts at all.”

Katherine Flautt

her gait anymore,” Flautt said. “She’s driving again. It’s improving her reaction time. She can be out in the garden without the increased risk of falling.” Flautt said the therapy is a team effort. There are three main components, which include medication

son’s, and there are some patients who do not respond to the therapies, but by and large, it is providing relief to many individuals in the area who suffer from this disease. “We’re just trying to get these patients a better quality of life, some motivation

and some hope,” she said. “When they hear Parkinson’s they think their life is over. They think they’re going to be in a wheelchair. They think they can’t do anything, and they’ll need 24-hour sitters, and that’s just not the facts at all.” Flautt said that she begins with patients by establishing what they can do as a place to start. They then establish goals for the program. When patients who have seen improvement inevitably have a bad day, she likes to return to that baseline and remind them of where they started. “When the frustration comes, I like to look back on those goals and discuss how far we’ve come,” she said. “You have to realize this is not a quick fix for what you have, but we’re going to get you as independent as we possibly can, and I show them where we were with baseline.” April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month.

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Medical Guide 2021

The Enterprise-Tocsin

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Medical Guide 2021

Simple techniques can be learned that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine to restore nervous system balance. 2. Meditation-This practice is foundational to learning to manage stress and anxiety. When we quiet our thoughts, our

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us practice acceptance and present moment awareness so that our mind the life-style practices we choose. is not ruminating about the past or Three research-based techniques worrying about the future. for calming and regulating the nervI incorporate all three practices ous system’s response to stress into my holistic mental health pracinclude breathing techniques, meditice, depending on the needs of the tation, and yoga. client. You can visit my website for If only one of more informathese life-style tion and view the practices is I have “If only one of these life-style prac- videos adopted and posted on tices is adopted and practiced regu- YouTube to help practiced regularly you will see a positive shift over with anxiety. My larly you will see time in how you feel, react, and approach consida positive shift think. You will also improve your ers the client’s over time in how body’s immune response and re- p s ychol o g i c a l you feel, react, and think. You state, as well as silience.” will also improve body and spirit. I Martha Catlette your body’s strive to help i m m u n e people feel better, response and resilience. mind and body begin to settle down expand their awareness of self, and All three practices take commit- and the symptoms of the stress make nourishing choices. My misment and consistency to receive response are reversed. Meditation is sion is to inspire, educate, guide, and maximum benefit. a simple practice that can have pro- support others to embrace responsi1. Breathing techniques-When found effects on mental and physical bility for their personal well-being. our mind is anxious and thoughts wellbeing and peace of mind. For more information please conare racing our breath is shallow and 3. Yoga-The practice of yoga helps tact me through my website rapid. us move negative energy that settles www.marthacatlette.com. Learning to slow and deepen the within the body and cause blockages You may also contact me directly breath helps to settle anxious leading to mental and physical through email at thoughts and emotions by resetting symptoms. Yoga helps improve flex- mcatlette@gmail.com or by phone the nervous system. ibility of body and mind. It also helps 662-207-8595.

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AFTER HOURS

Delta Primary Care 110 E. Baker Street Indianola, MS 38751 662-887-5530 DENTAL

Family Dental Care 501 Park Avenue Indianola, MS 38751 662-887-1272 EXERCISE

The Beacon Wellness Center 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-1800 FAMILY PRACTICE

Delta Health Center 2363 Hwy 1 Greenville 662-334-1253 1414 Hospital Dr. Greenville 662-335-3991 100 East Washington St. Hollandale 662-827-7400 702 Martin Luther King Road Mound Bayou 662-741-8880 Indianola Family Medical Group 122 E. Baker Street Indianola, MS 38751 662-887-2212

Phillips Health Center 1004 W. Delta Ave. Moorhead 662-246-0099 Sunflower Clinic 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-4024

Medical Guide 2021

HOSPICE

NONPROFIT

Hospice of North Sunflower 105 E. Floyce St, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-1700 North Yalobusha Hospice & Palliative Care Inc. Indianola Office 112 Main Street Indianola, MS 38751 662-887-1268 - Main 662-887-1269 - Fax

Delta Cotton Belles P. O. Box 1292 Greenville, MS 38702 662-390-6009 or 662-390-6488

HOSPITAL

Bolivar Medical Center 901 E. Sunflower Rd Cleveland 662-846-0061 NSMC Information 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-2711 South Sunflower County Hospital 121 E. Baker Street Indianola, MS 38751 662-887-5235 INSTITUTION

Mississippi Delta Community College Hwy 3 & Cherry Street Moorhead, MS 38761 662-246-6503 MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

Sunflower Medical Equipment 200 W. Floyce St, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-1660

PHARMACY

Magic Mart 903 Hwy. 82 E. Blg. G 662-887-4135 Fax: 662-887-9703 NSMC Pharmacy 860 N. Oak Ave Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-4381 REHABILITATION

Outpatient Rehabilitation 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-1801 The Sunrise (Outpatient Behavioral Health) 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-1630 Swingbed (Inpatient Rehabilitation) 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-1647

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SPA

Sunflower Med Spa 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-2100 SUBSPECIALTY CARE

Mississippi Center for Advanced Medicine 7731 Old Canton Rd B, Madison, MS 39110 601-499-0935 SURGERY

Cleveland Surgical Clinic 810 E. Sunflower Rd. Suite 100 A Cleveland 662-579-0118 Delta Surgical Clinic 110 E. Baker Street Indianola, MS 38751 662-887-7339 WELLNESS

Greenspot Wellbeing Indianola, MS 38751 662-207-8595 Life Help Crisis Hotline 1-866-453-6216

SENIOR CARE

WOUND CARE

Senior Care (Inpatient Behavioral Health) 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-9910 Walter B. Crook Nursing Facility 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 662-756-1609

Wound Care Services 840 N. Oak Ave, Ruleville, MS 38771 887-295-2273 Want to advertise your medical business in The E-T? Call Mary Howard Gary at 662887-2222

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