Author Archives: Tina Winslow

Chris Klemme: Senior Vice President, Trust Officer

“We owe the highest duty of care to our clients.”

Chris Klemme
Senior Vice President/Trust Officer

PyxisCare Management is proud to work with other expert service providers on a daily basis to ensure that a range of client needs are met. Chris Klemme, a Senior Vice President and Trust Officer at American National Bank and Trust Co., is an executive trust officer who brings a wealth of knowledge and a law degree to serving the complex needs of trust clients. Learn more about how the trust process works for clients in need of wholistic care coordination.

What do you think is most valuable for a trust officer from an initial assessment?

A trust officer needs to have a good understanding of the full range of services available to their clients that are both helpful and pragmatic, based upon the specific medical or mental condition of the client.

What are things everyone should know about working with a trust officer?

We are fiduciaries – which means we owe the highest duty of care to our clients. We are also heavily regulated – our departments typically go through a third-party audit and a government examination every year. Documentation is the key to a good results. The documentation provides justification for the money we are expending, or are about to spend; it is also extremely helpful so that any team member in the trust department can review monthly reports to quickly get up to speed on what the clients’ needs have been in the recent past.

How can trust officers utilize care management on behalf of their beneficiaries?

We receive most of our referrals from attorneys. Many times, they expect a bank employee to serve almost as a legal guardian for their clients, when we are often not equipped to do so. Retaining case management partners, like the Nurse Client Advocates at PyxisCare Management, provides the corporate fiduciary with additional eyes and ears on a clients’ situation. Because of their expertise, there have been several times over the years that the case manager for a client has apprised us of needs that the family, for whatever reason, has not.

Why do trust officers need initial assessments of beneficiaries?

Many times, especially by the time a client arrives to us, it has been several months, if not a year or more, since there has been an updated assessment. This is especially important in brain trauma cases, where most specialists say there is a two-year window after the injury for maximum improvement to occur. Trust professionals need an accurate baseline of our client’s medical circumstances at the time the relationship begins, so we can provide the funds for the most critical needs of the client.

What is the biggest benefit of care coordination to your clients?

Having additional qualified professionals who focus on our clients, means that we are always updated on new needs that can be addressed quickly and compassionately. These are items that most bank-trained professionals are not going to pick up, even making house calls. For instance, care coordination professionals might identify the client’s need for therapy or counseling more quickly than others. In some cases, 24/7 caregiving is necessary, and it’s always important to ensure that there is consistent assessment of medical, financial and emotional health.

PyxisCare Education: Mary N

“Trusting PyxisCare to guide us through getting our son the educational
support he needed was the best decision we ever made. We finally felt like
our son wasn’t being seen for the diagnosis he has, but for who he has the
potential to become.”
—Mary N. (working mother of autistic child)

Every parent wants their children to be happy and to feel loved.

As parents, we want those things for our child too, but as our son grew up, our wants and desires for him also grew and changed. At the age of three James was diagnosed with Autism and a speech impairment. With the diagnosis we jumped into early intervention strategies, participating in therapy through the early childhood center and through our public school district as well.

At age five, James transitioned into kindergarten communicating with the support of an AAC (augmentative and alternative) device. He knew his colors and shapes; he knew his numbers and letters as well. We thought he was ready. It wasn’t long into his kindergarten year that we learned that the school district did not feel the same.

This was the first time since the diagnosis that we felt that our son wasn’t “being seen” and that the system we had worked beside for so long, was now working against us. We turned to friends and parents that had worked through similar experiences and they led us to seek the support of an advocate.

Trusting PyxisCare to guide us through getting James the educational support he needed was the best decision we have ever made. PyxisCare walked us through understanding his FIE (full individual and initial valuation) and his IEP (individual education plan), breaking down each section and explaining what it meant in respect to his potential growth, as well as his participation across different settings within the school.

PyxisCare guided us through a process to ensure our “wants” for him came to fruition. They attend ARD (admission, review and dismissal) meetings to support us, and they did a wonderful job collaborating with teachers and administrators to revise goals and schedules to explicitly meet his needs. We finally felt like James wasn’t being seen for the diagnosis he has, but for who he has the potential to become.

PyxisCare has worked with us to develop a meaningful relationship with the staff at his school. Every day we drop him off, we know James is going to be loved and included, and when he comes home – we know he will be genuinely happy.

Back To School Headaches & Heartaches

At my house, we’ve just survived back-to-school season – the drama of haircuts, new uniforms neatly pressed, the books, the backpacks and the return to early mornings, after school activities and late-night studying. These few weeks have been a headache of summer homework and finding the right school supplies. And now we have two teens who are studiously – if not happily – back to school.

However, my BTS headache pales in comparison to the BTS heartache that many of my friends and clients experience as they near the BTS season.

Because at my office, some of our nurse client advocates (NCAs) have been working closely with clients to ensure their children’s special needs are being met, which can be a quagmire of endless paperwork, a battery of expensive diagnostic testing, documentation and meetings with administrators to prepare for the year ahead.

Our school systems have done an admirable job of ensuring that every child’s needs are met to the best of their ability. However, accessing those services and ensuring the complex range of needs varying from neurodiversity and autism to mental illness to the physical limitations of blindness, lack of mobility and more – is often daunting. And because it’s daunting and time consuming, it can be overwhelming to those parents and guardians who navigate these muddied processes that sometimes require local, state and federal services to cooperate.

If you’ve ever had to oversee a child’s 504 plan is being implemented to ensure they’re receiving all necessary accommodations; or conference with teachers and administrators to ensure everyone understands the services a child is set to receive within their IEP (individual education plan), then you know how exhausting and tricky the process can be. All we ever want is to advocate for the best educational experience for our loved ones, and at the minimum, voice that they deserve the same physical, social and academic opportunities as their peers.

This year has been an unusually busy one with clients requesting help with special needs advocacy. While many of us are trained in navigating this particular need, our resident experts are true leaders in coordinating the timing and strategy for each unique challenge.

My goal this year is to appreciate the relative normalcy of my back to school woes and to continue to work hard to ensure that every kid gets a chance to participate, learn and develop into their very best.

Welcome back to school!

Just in Time: From Tipping Point to Turning Point

Two of the most common words that we hear in client interviews and as we begin engagements with individuals and companies are: TIPPING POINT.

As in….“We had passed a tipping point for my mother and we didn’t know it because we were so overwhelmed with our day to day.”

“I knew we were approaching a tipping point, but I felt like we couldn’t avoid a crisis.”

“Our company hit a tipping point where many of us were balancing caregiving duties with full time jobs and I could see the wear and tear on our team.”

You tend to HIT a tipping point. Usually “tipping points” like these, force decision-making
because action has to be taken. PyxisCare shines in this area—we take pride in intervening and mitigating crisis as it happens and making a difference immediately. Often clients come to us needed immediate help.

However, we DO have clients who are focused solely on wellness and prevention strategies to ensure they avoid costly mistakes down the road. Our vision is that one day, health and wellness transition into a proactive space where there is more planning and preparation for the challenges that people face…BEFORE you hit a dangerous tipping point.

Until then, we at PyxisCare are focused on turning tipping points into TURNING POINTS.
And we have a proprietary process that creates that turning point for our clients. It’s our
thorough custom assessment that kicks off most engagements.

I’ve been passionate about ensuring the “whole person view” is used when we are working with individuals; our assessment uses a multi-factor approach. Your health and sustainable wellness is a combination of many factors, chiefly: medical, psychosocial, environmental, legal and financial. These key drivers define your capacity to progress in the right direction and stay the course with treatment, prevention and intervention.

A client recently said: “When I look back on that time in my mother’s life, I see the IA (initial assessment) and care plan as the turning point to get her back on the road to self- sufficiency.”

I think often about this statement, and dozens of others like it, when I think about what we do and what makes PyxisCare special. That particular person used the resulting care plan as a road map back to health for her loved one.

Some clients even go back and do an assessment if we onboarded as a result of a crisis. They want that full spectrum view of their needs without the pressure of an urgent issue needing resolution. One client said the assessment put him “out of his comfort zone” but also mentioned it was the most valuable part of the service because it allowed him to prioritize some unresolved safety issues in his environment.

This feedback and other customer-centric data helps us to be better partners. To provide a consistently improved experience for clients. To proactively identify pain points and step in to help.

I’m heartened to know that we are offering something unique and valuable that truly allows people to reach their TURNING POINT.

PyxisCare Anywhere Client Story: Jennifer C

“PyxisCare didn’t just help my dad as he transitioned towards end-of-life-care, they cared deeply about my and my mom’s well-being. They supported our entire family holistically, finding solutions and helping us to understand our options and make the best decisions.”

Jennifer C.

My dad lived a great life but like most of our parents, had normal complications as he aged. That is, until he started exhibiting signs of dementia. My mom was able to take care of him at the beginning, but soon his symptoms worsened to the point that he started acting aggressively towards her. He wouldn’t let her help him, and for her safety, my mom moved into a hotel. At this point we were clearly in crisis.

I realized I needed immediate answers to help both of my parents, but as a business executive I couldn’t stop working to care for my dad, and I didn’t have time to research all the possible options that could help them. A friend referred me to PyxisCare for assistance. I needed to meet with them immediately and get started – and didn’t have time to stop for an in-person meeting. We met virtually and during their initial assessment, they asked about my dad’s diagnosis, his medical history, financial limitations, insurance options, and my mom’s ability to care for my dad. We enrolled in PyxisCare Anywhere on the spot because we needed maximum flexibility.

As a Veteran in his mid-80s, I knew my dad was eligible for VA benefits and Medicaid, but I did not know how or who to contact to get these benefits started. To complicate matters, my dad’s Veterans records were stored inside a VA facility in St. Louis that had been destroyed by a fire. The PyxisCare team had experience accessing hard to reach records and initiating the benefits he deserved. They oversaw the complicated process and paperwork required between the Medicaid office and the VA.

As a daughter, it was my responsibility to help my parents, but I was losing sleep and going in circles trying to figure it out on my own. PyxisCare understands that getting answers is more complicated than just making one phone call, and sometimes you must dig deep to find solutions. They partnered with me, advising and aiding me step-by-step what I needed to do next as we moved closer to getting my dad the help he needed. They explained everything along the way, such as how an ombudsman can help, where do we get information, what documents do I need to gather, and more. They listened to me, helping to ease the stress and emotions I felt as I watched my dad’s health fail. And all of the support was provided virtually by zoom and over the phone.

With the support of PyxisCare Anywhere, we untangled his benefits and used Medicaid and VA to pay for a quality facility to care for him. Mom moved back into house and started focusing on her own health. Dad went into hospice and soon passed at the facility – his dignity intact with the support from the PyxisCare team. It was not a heavy lift for PyxisCare, but for me it was everything for them to support me when and where I needed their help most. Their care and service gave me peace of mind as I moved through this important life transition of losing a parent.

PyxisCare didn’t just help my dad as he transitioned towards end-of-life-care, they cared deeply about my and my mom’s well-being. They supported our entire family holistically, finding solutions and helping us to understand our options and make the best decisions.

MEET THE TEAM, Stephanie C.

MEET THE TEAM, PYXISCARE’S STEPHANIE C.

“Our more mature clients have had the opportunity to reflect over their lives, and I have compassion for their stories and experiences. It’s an honor to provide resources and guidance to these clients.”

Stephanie C.

Stephanie Cook, PyxisCare’s newest Nurse Client Advocate, brings more than 16 years of teaching experience along with the ability to see the humanity and unique needs of every person she works with. She can take a complicated medical process and deliver it in understandable terms and easy-to-follow instructions, knowing that clients are not medical professionals.

What lead you to pursue a nursing career? I grew up close to my dad, and he encouraged me to pursue a nursing career. I have such respect for him, it was an easy choice to pursue a bachelor’s degree in this field. After I graduated and began working, I quickly realized this was God’s calling for me and my dad was right. For 24 years I’ve treated patients in med surgical, cardiac ICU, home health, and nursing homes. Additionally, I’ve taught nursing and medical classes at a junior college for 16 years.

Tell us about your role at PyxisCare As a Nurse Client Advocate, I first meet with families to understand their situation. Our medical system is complicated and difficult to navigate. I serve as a bridge to our messy system and collaborate with the PyxisCare team to find whole-person integrated solutions, meeting clients where they are. We serve families in five areas: medical, environmental, financial, psycho-social, and legal. Some families need help in all the areas and some in just one or two areas.

I particularly like that PyxisCare pairs clients with team members who can best serve their needs. My specialty is adults and geriatrics, but I’m also qualified to serve in other areas. To best support our clients, we partner with other team members with specialties such as mental health, pediatrics, and hospice. This ensures that clients are getting the best expertise for what they need.

Can you give us some examples of how you help families? We help families understand how they can get services such as Medicaid, assistance with meals and groceries, and finding a caregiver. If they need a ramp or other home accommodations, we find solutions. Often clients don’t understand what’s available to them. For example, a client came to us with a health issue that surgery could correct. The family did not realize surgery was an option and we explained how surgery could help and researched surgeon options.

What do you love about nursing and what unique skills do you bring to PyxisCare? Our older clients have had the opportunity to reflect over their lives, and I have compassion for their stories and experiences. It’s an honor to provide resources and guidance to these clients. Sometimes our clients are challenged with loss, grief, financial issues, and loneliness, and this can be difficult. Our team cares for each person holistically and provides the care and support they need.

Facing the end of life can be overwhelming and hard to understand. With my teaching experience I know how to break down medical terminology into easy-to-understand language. I have taught students who know nothing about nursing to students who know the basics. These skills help me meet families where they are as it relates to their situation. I communicate compassionately, seeing their humanity in all that I do. I am grateful to work for a company that exemplifies these values.

PyxisCare Anywhere

I founded PyxisCare more than 12 years ago to help people in a way that I hadn’t seen done before. Our team could make a difference – I was certain – and I believe we have. Over those years we’ve become much more sophisticated as a company, serving hundreds of individuals and partnering with many companies to offer peace of mind, better health and wellness.

We’ve also launched services that support every aspect of need from analyzing corporate benefits to helping elderly parents secure safe and affordable housing to planning for end of life. In many ways, PyxisCare Anywhere, our completely virtual service, is an homage to our roots. We have clients across several states and many of the conditions we manage require multi-state and multi-agency support. Achieving success for our clients requires a team that’s willing to work when YOU need us. Whether in person or virtual, it’s in our DNA from our original founding.

Technology has made our lives easier and over those 12 years, we have taken full advantage of everything and every service technology has enabled, while keeping our empathy and compassion at the very center of our mission.

And still, we keep innovating.

Part of what drives our team at PyxisCare is sharing our knowledge to help people better understand how they can live better. And in the past few years, how companies can take better care of their employees while spending less on medical expenses but investing more in health.

In the spirit of innovation and sharing our knowledge, this month we also launched a podcast. That’s right! It’s a chance for me to interview thought leaders in medicine, healthcare, mental health and insurance so YOU can be informed as a consumer, and employer and potentially a caregiver. I’m excited and humbled to interview Ben Isgur, Vice President, Health Care Thought Leadership at Fidelity Investments, who is a friend and respected colleague for our inaugural podcast. Listen here to learn more about what’s changing in benefits and employee-paid insurance, including the importance of mental health benefits.

At PyxisCare, we do our work quietly and respectfully, focusing every energy into planning for and supporting our clients and their health. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to share our passion for wellness with you – in this blog, on social, in our newsletter and now, in a podcast we call Boundaries Vs. Bridges.

Thanks for being on the journey with us at PyxisCare.

PyxisCare Choice Client Story: John and Sally W.

“Thanks to the PyxisCare Choice team we have a clear understanding of our end-of-life directives and a positive way to share our desires regarding future medical care with our children and other family members.”

–Sally and John W.

Advance Care Planning bridges the gap between a person’s wishes for their end-of-life care, their family members, medical providers and legal counsel, and nearly 2/3 of Americans do not have an advanced care directive. In addition to offering a wide range of valuable services, from medical crisis management to the ongoing maintenance of chronic illness, PyxisCare Management provides personalized, comprehensive advance care planning (ACP) called PyxisCare Choice. Our experienced nurses partner with estate planning attorneys and financial planners to ensure clients are empowered to achieve their wishes. Recently we chatted with Sally and John W. about their experience with the PyxisCare Choice program.

What led you to PyxisCare Choice? We wanted a personalized approach to ACP, more than what just an attorney could offer. We were looking for a relationship where we could have an ongoing conversation about estate planning and updates in legal and fiduciary choices as our health status changes. PyxisCare Choice brings in medical expertise that you won’t find at an attorney’s office. A colleague who works with PyxisCare recommended PyxisCare Choice.

How was meeting with a PyxisCare expert valuable? Thanks to the PyxisCare Choice team we have a clearer understanding of our end-of-life directives and a positive way to share our desires regarding future medical care with our children and other family members. Our meeting also pushed us to ensure we had all the documents we would need. The team was informative and navigated issues that we had not thought about. We now have peace of mind that our ACP has been taken care of and everyone is on the same page.

What do you expect the outcome to be? We now have confidence that as we move towards end-of-life care, our wishes and directives will be understood and carried out by our family and health care providers. Teaming up with PyxisCare is not just one meeting and done. We will continue to have ongoing conversations about our wishes and goals as our medical needs change. For example, if we become incapacitated for any reason, we know that the PyxisCare team will be there to support our family.

How does PyxisCare Choice help with family dynamics when planning for the future? Through the support and guidance of the PyxisCare Choice team, we can discuss our desires with our children and emotions during the conversation. Our family learned many details about the process that attorneys don’t usually cover in ACP. The bonus is that our children will be ready to plan their ACP through everything they’ve learned with the PyxisCare experts.

What did you discover about advance care planning by using PyxisCare Choice? The PyxisCare Choice team took time to educate us about everything related to ACP. We had a general knowledge before we started but the team provided comprehensive information about estate planning, the importance of advanced directive documentation, legal and fiduciary choices, and so much more. We are ready to move into our future with confidence and peace of mind.

2023: The Year of Wellness Everywhere

Whether it’s being tied up in traffic, facing a work deadline, or caring for a loved one, we all experience stress on some level every day. By taking care of ourselves and engaging in self-care, we can reduce the impact stress plays on our mind, body and spirit. According to research by ScienceDirect, practicing self-care improves well-being, increases longevity and reduces health care costs. Most experts agree that there are five self-care pillars: Eating Healthy, Mental/emotional wellbeing, Physical/Recreational, Social, and Environmental. Let’s take a look at each pillar and learn how we can prioritize our well-being.

Eating Healthy: Eating a well-balanced diet consisting of a variety of fruits and vegetables, protein and healthy grains can protect us from chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Eating healthy can also improve energy levels, mental focus and even sleep quality. Of course, most things in moderation is okay too.

Mental/Emotional Well-being: This refers to taking care of our feelings and mental health through mindfulness, meditation, or a spiritual practice. Meditation doesn’t have to be sitting cross-legged for an hour chanting “om.” It can be as simple as mindfully taking a walk or sitting quietly and focusing on your breath by slowly inhaling into your belly and lengthening your exhale. Research shows that practicing these techniques can improve feelings of well-being and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Physical/Recreational: Exercise lowers blood pressure, boosts energy and reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin. The key is to find an exercise plan that works for you. If going to the gym and exercising around other people is not your thing, try walking or jogging. Yoga is an excellent mind/body/spirit exercise. There are many types of yoga, from deep stretching and breathing on your mat to a flow style where you move from pose to pose building strength and increasing your heart rate. If you don’t have a regular workout practice, be gentle with yourself as you may not enjoy it at first. Eventually, with consistent practice you will experience the benefits.

Environmental: Taking care of the space around you and spending time in nature best describes this pillar. Examples of self-care that can help you thrive and increase serenity include decluttering your space, adding plants, candles or other meaningful items to your home and workspace, and monitoring your social media. Additionally, research shows that being in nature can reduce your heart rate and decrease muscle tension.

Social: According to Psychology Today, connecting with friends can boost brain health and lower risk of dementia. For those of us who tend to be more introverted, here are some tips to engage socially:
- If you’re a caregiver, join a caregiver support group. It’s a great way to connect with others experiencing the same challenges.
- Join a Meetup group to find like-minded friends at Meetup.com.
- Take a walk through your neighborhood, and smile and say hello to someone. It could lead to a conversation and a new friendship.

Making time for self-care should be at the top of your to-do list. The airlines have it right when they say to put your own oxygen mask on before helping someone else. You don’t have to practice every pillar to engage in self-care. Just choosing one or two activities, even combining pillars will go a long way towards reducing your stress levels, and improving your mind, body and spirit.

The FREE Wellness Resources You’ll Need in 2023

Stress, an unavoidable part of life, is our body’s natural reaction to difficult circumstances and it can lead to heart disease, diabetes, headaches and depression. To help mitigate the negative effects of stress, PyxisCare has discovered twelve FREE self-care apps and websites that we can practice daily.

According to research, there are five primary areas of self-care. They are mental/emotional well-being, physical/recreational, environmental, social, and eating healthy. Take a look at the resources below and find what works for you. Each resource represents one or two of the five wellness areas.

Tara Brach Meditation – It Works! While there are lots of resources for meditation, Tara Brach is one of the best. Her website contains free guided meditations in multiple categories including basic, heart, and open awareness meditations. My favorite one so far, posted in January of this year is titled “What Matters to your Heart?” If meditation is your relaxation technique of choice, this option is for you. (Mental/Emotional Well-being)

Yoga with AdrieneYoga is a great option for those who want to put some physical activity into their daily routine, but also want the calm, centering of meditation. There are many health benefits for yoga beyond relaxation, including improved strength, balance, flexibility, and mindfulness. Yoga with Adriene is a free Youtube Channel offering high quality videos for all levels, all bodies, all genders, and all souls. Adriene urges her viewers and subscribers to “Make time for you. Go deeper, have fun. Connect. Fall off the horse and then get back on. Reconnect. Do your best, be authentic and FIND WHAT FEELS GOOD” So if yoga is your go-to way to fight stress, this Youtube channel could be the free resource you are looking for. (Physical/Recreational and Mental/Emotional well-being)

Charity Miles: Start a Healthy Addiction If running, walking, or bicycling are more your speed, we recommend Charity Miles. Use Charity Miles to log miles and they will donate to a non-profit, thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsors who agree to donate a few cents for every mile you complete. In exchange, you see their logos. You can also use the app to run pledge drives. Charity Miles supports a variety of nonprofit organizations, such as ASPCA, Habitat for Humanity, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, UNICEF, Save the Children, and the Wounded Warrior Project. Knowing that your activity supports charitable causes might just motivate you to move every day. (Physical/Recreational and Social)

A Crafty Way to Heal: DIY Bath SaltsThe relaxation benefits of a warm bath and crafting are divine. Imagine combining them to create a project that will leave you feeling accomplished and relaxed. The link below includes 31 Homemade Bath Salt recipes that you can make with things you already have in your pantry! With salt, baking soda, oils, herbs, and fragrances of your choice, you can create the ultimate relaxation experience at little cost. https://www.sunrisespecialty.com/diy-bath-salts (Mental/Emotional well-being)

Atmosphere The undisputed champion of relaxation is sleep.A free favorite resource is Atmosphere, which customizes your sleeping environment though sound. Sounds include waves, rain, animals, traffic, music, fans and even their special binaural and isochronic sounds which can reduce anxiety, relax breathing, and even aid in healing. You can pick and choose different sounds from different scenes to create the perfect customized sleep atmosphere for you at absolutely no cost. Happy napping! (Environmental)

Free Playlists: From Pandora to Spotify Many of us turn to music to process and destress from a hard day. Only you know what music brings you calm and healing. No matter where you find your music, you can find a specially curated playlist designed to aid in destressing. Try Pandora’s playlists towards relaxing. Spotify offers several relaxation stations. Youtube has a channel titled Soothing Relaxation. FREE, FREE and FREE. (Environmental and Mental/Emotional well-being)

Coloring Book for Adults: A Free App The benefits of coloring for the mind are unquestionable. I’ve done the research and this app has MORE free options than other coloring apps.Coloring Books for Adults offers 168 colors – and all are free! You get 8 free drawings in the Relaxatimtheon category, plus several other categories. If you DO become addicted, you can buy a subscription and expand your choices. This coloring app is available on both iOS and Android. (Mental/Emotional well-being)

Deepak Chopra – Be guided by a guru As a medical doctor, Deepak Chopra shares research based knowledge of how stress affects the mind and body. To counter symptoms of stress, Deepak offers guided meditations, articles, and podcasts that intersect physical health, spirituality and mental health. Reading his website is like taking a university class! Deepak is the founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit devoted to researching well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a health company focusing on health, spirituality, and wellness. One of my favorite Deepak quotes is, “Treat every moment as a gift, that is why it is called the present.”
(Healthy Eating, Mental/Emotional well-being and Environmental)

Feelmo.com – Cope with your feelings better. Have you ever felt overwhelmed and unsure of how to cope with your feelings? There’s an app to help you with this! Feelmo.com is designed by therapists to help you describe and define your feelings, which can lower their intensity and create higher emotional intelligence. When we experience strong emotions, our brain can go into fight or flight, and it’s hard to think rationally. Feelmo.com uses an intuitive emotions explorer to help you identify and process your feelings. We all experience emotions in various degrees throughout the day. This app simply helps us understand them better. (Mental/Emotional well-being and Socia)l

Meetup – Whatever intrigues you, there’s a group for you. Looking to connect with new people with like-minded interests? Meetup is a social networking site that allows you to find and join groups with your own personal interests. We are made to connect with others, and the benefits of social interaction include creating a sense of belonging and safety, decreased risk of dementia and overall better mental health. Whether your hobby is studying butterflies, watching your favorite sports team, or finding friends to bicycle with, there’s probably a group for you. (Social)

Cronometer – Set and reach your health goals. We all like to create goals for better health in January. We pledge to eat healthier, exercise more, walk daily, etc. But, if you’re like me, life can sometimes get in the way of meeting these goals. I recently discovered, Cronometer, a powerful health and fitness app where you input your daily food intake, establish fitness goals and track your progress. It connects with other popular fitness tracking devices. The app is free but you can pay to upgrade to more advanced options. (Eating Healthy and Physical/Recreationa)l

FitOn: The best free workouts. If you want to exercise but you’re unsure of how or what to do, try the FitOn app. It gives you unlimited access to the world’s best workouts,
guided meditations, and articles on healthy eating and meal planning. Trouble sleeping? You’ll even find suggestions on this topic. The app contains a wealth of resources that is sure to meet your needs. (Eating Healthy, Mental/Emotional well-being and Physical/Recreational)

As we move into 2023, try to make self-care a priority in your life. Hopefully one of these self-care tools will speak directly to you. It doesn’t matter which resource you use, do SOMETHING. Whether it’s five minutes of deep breathing, or a girl’s getaway, you will benefit with better mental health, lower blood pressure, and more peace in your life.

Mindy