PARISH NURSE SERVICE

The focus of the Parish Nurse service is on the whole person: body, mind and spirit.  Jackie Graves, R.N. is available to individuals, families and groups of all ages in the congregation to carry out the mission of health promotion.

The Parish Nurse meets weekly with the pastoral staff for planning. Visits are made to homes, hospitals and nursing homes for assessment and pastoral care. Other activities include blood pressure screening on Sunday mornings, health risk appraisals for members and several classes focused on wholeness and healthy living.

Jackie has an office in the Health Education Center on the first floor of the church, and is available on Sunday mornings or at other times by appointment (call the church at 254-7768).

Have you heard of the Kentucky Elder Readiness Initiative? Kentucky Division of Aging Services, Area Agencies on Aging, and UK have partnered to look at a readiness plan of action for the large number of baby boomers coming into retirement years. By 2020, Kentucky will have 23% of its population older than 60--that’s 14th largest in the nation.

KERI is engaging citizens from every walk of life to dialogue and problem solve around issues that involve community resources, health and safety, quality of life, and community involvement. The KERI partners hope to work toward developing a comprehensive plan to guide the state in planning and preparation to ensure aging Kentuckians remain supported and engaged in community life. This population shift will have an enormous impact on churches, neighborhoods, businesses, and health care. Preparing now will help to insure services such as transportation, housing, and recreation will be adequate and readily available.

In national rankings, older Kentuckians are 1^st in smoking, 5^th in hypertension, and 14^th in obesity. So planning for a healthy future makes good sense.

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am the one who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you.”    Isaiah 46:4

Jackie Graves, Parish Nurse