It’s rare for Palliative Medicine physician Larry Parsons, MD, to meet someone who understands his medical specialty or how it benefits patients with serious illnesses. Dr. Parsons directs inpatient Palliative Medicine at Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center and is part of the Palliative Medicine team at Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group. A dynamic communicator, Dr. Parsons helps patients and their families understand their medical choices and what they mean. “What I bring to hospitalized patients is a big-picture view of their health status,” says Dr. Parsons. “Heart doctors assess the patient’s cardiac health; kidney specialists focus on the patient’s kidney function; and palliative medicine physicians look at the entire patient. We take a holistic approach to healthcare.” What does the Palliative Medicine holistic approach include? This holistic approach means Palliative Medicine experts consider your physical, emotional, spiritual and family needs, which may include: Managing symptoms (pain, shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue and more) Addressing quality of life issues Alleviating emotional distress, anxiety or depression Assisting with advance directives Arranging for spiritual counseling Explaining and discussing a patient’s clinical status “This takes time,” Dr. Parsons says. “It means getting to know folks, learning what’s meaningful to them, and becoming familiar with their support systems. How is their illness affecting their life? Do they understand their clinical situation? Because I come with time, I can help people explore what’s important to them.” During this episode of Healthy Conversations, Dr. Parsons discusses YRMC’s Palliative Medicine program. He also shares a compelling story about his family’s experience with medical decision making. Palliative medicine is not hospice care A common assumption people make is that Palliative Medicine and Hospice are one in the same. In fact, they are two different services. For example, the Palliative Medicine team works with patients – and their physicians – as they are pursuing medical treatment. Additionally, Palliative Medicine can begin most any time during an illness. Hospice is an option for people who have a life expectancy of less than six months. A comprehensive Palliative Medicine program At YRMC, Palliative Medicine is available for inpatients – people hospitalized at YRMC East or YRMC West – or in the community through Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group, Palliative Medicine. According to Dr. Parsons, it’s rare for a Palliative Medicine program to offer both inpatient and outpatient services. “Our community is very fortunate to have Palliative Medicine for hospitalized patients and as an outpatient service,” Dr. Parsons says. “It’s clear that YRMC understands the importance of this type of care for all patients.” If you’re hospitalized at YRMC East or YRMC West, you may request a Palliative Medicine consultation with Dr. Parsons through your attending physician – also called a hospitalist – or contact Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group, Palliative Medicine at (928) 775-5567.

Setting up a home fitness program doesn’t have to be complicated, but there are a few steps you can take to ensure you’re successful, and of course, safe. What’s step one? “Make sure your program includes full-body exercise,” said Danyelle Schott, Certified Personal Trainer, Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s (YRMC’s) Pendleton Center West in Prescott. “That means incorporating both weight-bearing and aerobic exercise into your home fitness program.” There are lots of home friendly options, including: Aerobic Exercises—Jumping jacks – regular or modified, as recommended by Schott – or marching and jumping rope are all good forms of aerobic exercise you can do at home. If you have stairs, you can walk them, too (remember to hold the rail). Weight-Bearing Exercises—Examples of weight-bearing exercises include squats, sit-to-stand from a chair, pushups and planks. During her YRMC Healthy Conversations presentation (video below), Schott shares tips on how you can modify these exercises for your fitness level.  Set Your Goals … Track Your Progress “I tell people that their goal should be to raise their heart rate every day for at least 30 minutes,” Schott said. “A starting point would be doing this twice a week and gradually building to 30 minutes.” Which brings us to the importance of tracking your progress. It’s good to know where you started in order to appreciate your progress and stay motivated. There are plenty of apps available to help you track your workouts. There’s also nothing wrong with the low-tech approach of logging your daily workout information – number of reps and times – onto your computer or paper calendar. Weight-Bearing Exercise You can build your strength without a costly set of weights by doing “bodyweight” exercises. Squats, pushups and lunges are examples of bodyweight exercises that allow you to focus on form without adding resistance. You’ll get stronger with these and work multiple joints and muscles all at the same time. If you want to add weight, Schott outlines common household items you can use in her presentation. She also highlights home fitness workouts using a chair. Safety Always If you live and exercise alone, Schott recommends finding a fitness friend. “You can get together virtually with Zoom or Skype while you work out,” she said. “This will keep you accountable and safe. Also, always keep a phone and chair nearby in case you’re injured while exercising.” Fitness Resources, Training and Classes! Download and print this Living Room Workout tip sheet that Schott highlights as a guide for your home fitness plan. You can also contact YRMC Community Outreach to request the chair exercise pamphlets Schott recommends in the video. Reach us by email (communityoutreach@yrmc.org) or by phone at (928) 771-5738. If home fitness isn’t for you, YRMC’s Preventive Medicine and Wellness teams in Prescott and Prescott Valley offer personal training from experts, like Schott. There are also a variety of fitness classes including SilverSneakers®, Silver&Fit® and Renew Active™. Subscribe to YRMC HealthConnect to keep up-to-date on Healthy Conversations topics or checkout our calendar. You can register for future presentations or watch past presentations at YRMC HealthConnect (scroll to the bottom of the page).

“Into each life some rain must fall.” These words are more than song lyrics or a familiar expression to Cheryl Van Demark, PT, C-IAYT, Physical Therapist and Yoga Therapist at Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC). They’re part of a self-compassion practice Van Demark teaches in the YRMC Self-Care Program for Chronic Pain called RAIN—Recognize, Allow, Investigate and Nurture. RAIN is from the work of psychotherapist Tara Brach, PhD. Sprinkle Some RAIN into Your World During Practicing Self-Compassion, a YRMC Healthy Conversations presentation, Van Demark teaches you how to practice RAIN and introduces you to the benefits of self-compassion. “RAIN is a template for a self-compassion practice that can either be brief or lengthy, according to your individual needs,” she explained.  Van Demark also notes that self-compassion literature suggests employing the “Golden Rule.” This means treating others as you want to be treated, but directing it inward to yourself. “To quote Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh,” said Van Demark, “compassion is a verb. It’s the action we take to relieve suffering in ourselves or others.” Be Kind to Yourself How do we put self-compassion into action? It could be, for example, by recognizing your personal need for exercise in order to maintain your physical and mental health. The nurturing, or action, could be to carve out 30 minutes a day for a brisk walk. “Today in particular we’re confronted with global and individual suffering—social, economic, psychological and more,” said Van Demark. “This calls out loudly for us to practice self-compassion.” Self-Care Program for Chronic Pain Van Demark also oversees YRMC’s Self-Care Program for Chronic Pain. Through this program, participants learn to work in concert with their bodies and minds to understand and ease chronic pain. Self-empowerment techniques and physical therapy are also important components of the program. For more information, contact Cheryl Van Demark (cvandema@yrmc.org). Subscribe to YRMC HealthConnect to keep up-to-date on Healthy Conversation topics. Check out our calendar for upcoming presentations and register or view past presentations at YRMC HealthConnect.

There are lots of Healthy Conversations on the horizon thanks to Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s (YRMC’s) new virtual speakers bureau, which launches July 15 on YRMC HealthConnect. “This is a new era in how people will participate in and access YRMC’s high-quality health education presentations,” said Ken Boush, YRMC’s Director of Marketing and Communications. “We believe people will find that livestreaming on YRMC HealthConnect is an easy, fun and convenient way to enjoy YRMC’s exceptional speakers bureau presenters and topics.” Joining a Livestream Presentation Here’s how to join a YRMC livestream presentation: Visit YRMC HealthConnect. Go to the “Events” tab and then select “Calendar” for a menu of upcoming speakers and topics. Register for the presentations that interest you. Join the livestream presentation on its scheduled date and time by going to the “Events” tab on YRMC HealthConnect and selecting Healthy Conversations. “Anyone who is livestreaming a Healthy Conversations presentation will be able to submit questions to our presenter from the comfort of their home,” Boush said. “The presenter will respond to questions during the program. We’re anticipating robust and interesting interactions between our virtual audience and expert presenters.” Register for Upcoming Livestream Presentations One of YRMC’s most popular topics will kick off its livestream presentations. Register here for this upcoming presentation on plant-based eating. Wednesday, July 15, 1:00 – 1:30 pm – Plant Based Eating for Healthy Living, Danyelle Schott Dumas, Certified Nutritionist, Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach Check back soon to register for these livestream presentations: Wednesday, July 29, 11:30 am – Noon – Varicose Veins: More Than a Cosmetic Issue, Anil Kumar, MD, Medical Director of the Vein Center at YRMC Thursday, August 13, 10:30 – 11 am – Self-Care Tips for Living with Chronic Pain, Cheryl Van Demark, PT, Physical Therapist Wednesday, August 26, 11:30 am – Noon – Swallowing Issues: Things to Consider, Courtney Brimm, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist Finding Past Presentations Can’t join the livestream presentation? Previous presentations will be available on YRMC HealthConnect. “YRMC is delighted to offer Healthy Conversations,” Boush said. “It’s a great way to provide the people of Yavapai County with convenient access to our knowledgeable team of healthcare providers.” To receive information about future livestream presentations, subscribe to YRMC HealthConnect.