Friday Five: Great Reads for Healthcare Pros and Family Caregivers

The Friday Five is our weekly roundup of links to smart articles and helpful resources across the Web.

1. The hospice nurses I've met at Casa de la Luz are some of the kindest, funniest, most compassionate people I'll probably ever meet in my life. Day in and day out, they provide superior care to our patients and their families. For a taste of what the life of a hospice nurse is like, this article in the Columbia Missourian, "Patient work: a day in the life of a hospice nurse" offers a great glimpse inside.

2. I love this innovative idea about how to train medical students to be better physicians. This AARP article, "Creating Better Doctors" describes a program where medical school students voluntarily participate in a program called Learning by Living. The students are given a diagnosis, then live in a nursing home or assisted living setting, and gain firsthand experience at what it means to age in this country.

3. The National Family Caregivers Association offers a number of resources on their website, including this pamphlet called "Believe in Yourself: Take Charge of Your Life." The trifold brochure offers uplifting, motivational text about being a caregiver and offers suggestions to caregivers.

4. We always try to remember the difficulties that long-distance caregivers face. In today's day and age, it's not uncommon for a family to be living in different cities or even states (the elderly parents who moved to a warmer climate for retirement, the adult child living in the big city to pursue career opportunities, etc.). This article from the Strength for Caring website, "Helping from Far Away" is a thorough outline of tips on how to prepare for long-distance caregiving and suggestions on community agencies or services to reach out to for assistance. Articles such as these help you make sure that all of your bases are covered, making sure that your loved one is taken care of and giving you the peace you need to continue living your life.

5. We always encourage our patients to ask questions, to be a part of the care planning process. Don't be afraid of asking your doctor questions. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has a Question Builder tool to assist you in preparing for your next doctor's appointment. The tool helps you build questions according to what type of medical appointment you have scheduled.