Blog

Sex & Intimacy with Chronic Conditioins

Websites

ALS Society of Canada: Sexuality, Intimacy and Chronic Illness Fact sheet | https://www.als.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ALSCAN-Sexuality-Intimacy-and-Chronic-Illness-EN.pdf 

 

American Association for Retired Persons: Sex and Intimacy | https://www.aarp.org/home-family/sex-intimacy/ 

 

American Diabetes Association | http://www.diabetes.org

 

American Academy of Family Physicians: Chronic Illness and sexual functioning | https://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0115/p347.html 

 

American Heart Association

 

Diabetes Canada

 

Heart & Stroke Canada

 

Mayo Clinic

 

National Institute on Aging: Sexuality in later life | https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/sexuality-later-life

 

Psychology Today: A Good Sex Life is Possible Even with Chronic Pain | https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ease-pain/202103/good-sex-life-is-possible-even-chronic-pain

 

Sexuality after SCI (Spinal Cord Injury) | https://www.sexualitysci.org 

For information and videos on a variety of issues related to sex, love and intimacy for people living with spinal cord injuries. 

 

WebMD: Pain Management, Maintaining Intimacy | https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-management-maintaining-intimacy



Positive Thinking & Happiness

lemon Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

 

Websites

Greater Good | https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/

Science-Based Insights for a Meaningful Life, University of California, Berkeley.

 

The Happiness Project | http://www.happiness-project.com/

 

Videos

David S. Sobel, MD, MPH: Healthy Pleasures, The New Science of Happiness | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rTkDWe0Zec&feature=youtu.be

 

DocMikeEvans: The Science of Subjective Well Being, a.k.a. Happiness | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPbjK3MmjL0&t=16s 

 

Reframe Health Lab: The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Stress by Mike Evans MD | https://www.reframehealthlab.com/9010-stress/ 

 

Audio Programs

Naparstek, Belleruth. Health Journeys Guided Imagery | https://www.healthjourneys.com/ 

 

Regan, Catherine and Seidel, Rick. Relaxation for Mind and Body Boulder, CO: Bull Publishing, 1996.

 

Weil, Andrew, and Martin Rossman. Self-Healing with Guided Imagery. Louisville, CO: Sounds True, 2006.

 

Print

Ben-Shahar, Tal. Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Benson, Herbert, and Miriam Z. Klipper. The Relaxation Response. San Francisco: Quill, 2000.

Burns, David D. The Feeling Good Handbook, rev. ed. New York: Plume, 1999.

Burns, David: Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. Harper, 2008

Davis, Martha, Elizabeth Eshelman, and Matthew McKay. The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook. Oakland, Calif.: New Harbinger, 2019.

Diener, Ed, and Robert Biswas-Diener. Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 2008.

Emmons, Robert A: Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity, Jossey-Bass, 2013.

Emmons, Robert A. Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.

Emmons, Robert A. The Little Book of Gratitude: Create a Life of Happiness and Wellbeing by Giving Thanks. Gala, 2016. 

Gillihan, Seth: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple: 10 Strategies for Managing Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Panic, and Worry. Althea 2018.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York: Delta, 2005.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. New York: Hyperion, 2005.

Lyubomirsky, Sonia. The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want. New York: Penguin, 2008.

Lyubomirsky, S The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, but Doesn't, What Shouldn't Make You Happy, but Does. Penguin Press, 2013

McGonigal, Jane. SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully . 2015.

McKay, Matthew, Martha Davis, and Patrick Fanning. Thoughts and Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life, 4th ed. Oakland, Calif.: New Harbinger, 2011.

Ornstein, Robert, and David Sobel. Healthy Pleasures. Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus, 1989.

Pennebaker, James W. and Evans, John: Expressive Writing: Words that Heal. 2014.

Pennebaker, James W. and Joshua Smith. Opening Up by Writing it Down: How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pain. The Guilford Press, 2016.

Rubin, Gretchen. The Happiness Project. Tenth Anniversary Edition: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. Harper, 2018

Selignman, Martin. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being New York: Free Press, 2011.

Sobel, David, and Robert Ornstein. The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Handbook (also published under the title The Mind and Body Health Handbook). Los Altos, Calif.: DRx, 1996.

Wiiliams, Florence: The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative. Norton, 2017.

Wiseman, Robert:  59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot. MacMillan 2009

 

Sleep / Fatigue

lemon Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

 

Websites

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Sleep and Chronic Disease | https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/chronic_disease.html 

 

Mayo Clinic: Lack of Sleep: Can it make you sick? | https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757 

 

National Sleep Foundation

 

WebMD: The Sleep-Diabetes Connection | https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/diabetes-lack-of-sleep

 

Downloadable PDFs

American Thoracic Society

Smoking

lemon Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

 

Websites

e-cigarettes

 

American Thoracic Society

Stress

lemon Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

 

Websites

Web MD: Breathing Techniques for Stress Relief | https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-relief-breathing-techniques#1

 

Applications

Breathe2Relax 

 

Sanvello App | https://www.sanvello.com/

* Formerly Pacifica 

 

Videos

Reframe Health Lab: The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Stress by Mike Evans MD | https://www.reframehealthlab.com/9010-stress/ 

 

TED Talks

 

Print

McGonigal, Kelly: The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It. 2015.

 

 

Planning for the Future

lemon Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

 

Websites

 

American Association for Retired Persons | https://www.aarp.org 

 

American Bar Association: Health Care Decision Making | http://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_aging/resources/health_care_decision_making.html 

 

National Council on Aging: Benefits Check Up | https://www.benefitscheckup.org 

 

Caring.com | https://www.caring.com

Information and support geared towards seniors.

 

Five Wishes: Advanced Care Planning for You and Your Loved Ones | https://fivewishes.org/five-wishes/individuals-families/individuals-and-families 

 

My Life In A Box: A Life Organizer | https://mylifeinabox.com 

 

National Center of Law and Elder Rights | https://ncler.acl.gov

Formerly the National Legal Resource Center 

 

National Council on Aging | https://www.ncoa.org 

 

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: Patients and Caregivers | https://www.nhpco.org/patients-and-caregivers/ 

 

National POLST Paradigm | https://polst.org

Encourages patients and their health care professionals to talk about what patients want at the end of life. The patient and his/her health care professional make informed, shared decisions about treatments and complete a POLST form, which is a portable medical order that emergency personnel can follow if the patient has a medical emergency and can't speak for himself/herself.

 

National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives | https://www.nrc-pad.org/ 

A psychiatric advance directive (PAD) is a legal document that documents a person’s preferences for future mental health treatment, and allows the appointment of a health proxy to interpret those preferences during a crisis. PADs are used when a person becomes unable to make decisions during a mental health crisis.

 

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Home equity conversion mortgages for seniors | https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/hecm/hecmhome

 

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Directory of Veterans Service Organizations | https://www.va.gov/vso/ 

 

Print

Cullen, M., Irving, S. (2018). Shae Irving. Get It Together: Organize Your Records So Your Family Won’t Have To (Eighth edition). Berkeley, CA: Nolo.

  • - Provides a complete system for structuring and organizing your information and documents into a records binder, including helpful content, resources, and step-by-step instructions, as well as downloadable forms.

 

Kübler-Ross, E. (2014). On Death and Dying. New York: Simon & Schuster.

  • - This book explores the five stages of death: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Through sample interviews and conversations, Kübler-Ross  gives readers a better understanding of how imminent death affects the patient, the professionals who serve that patient, and the patient's family.

 

Rosen, H. (2015). My Family Record Book: The Easy Way to Organize Personal Information, Financial Plans, and Final Wished for Seniors, Caregivers, Estate Executors, etc. Rosen Books.

  • - A complete step-by-step guide to help you keep track of and organize: final wishes and arrangements, computer information and passwords, estate planning documents, employment records, insurance policies, tax records, retirement accounts, government benefits, real estate records, house maintenance and more.

 

Speicher, J. H. (2019). Before and After: A practical guide for what to do and not to do before and after a loved one dies. Lafayette, CA: Big Hat Press.

Pain

lemon Return to the topics list at any time by clicking Resources on the left-hand menu. 

 

PDF Booklet

Toolkit for Managing Persistent Pain | https://www.act-center.org/

The Toolkit for Managing Persistent Pain was written by and for people living with chronic pain. Many people using this toolkit work with their health care teams to manage opioid treatment. Some are using other medicines or alternative treatments to manage their pain. This toolkit talks about both and is intended as a useful resource for everyone experiencing persistent pain, no matter what treatment methods they are using or where they are in their pain journey.

 

Websites

American Chronic Pain Association | https://www.acpanow.com/

Peer support and education in pain management skills to people with pain, family and friends, and health care professionals. Use the Resources tab in the main menu.

 

Pacing and Planning

 

The Pain Toolkit | https://www.paintoolkit.org 

A pain self-management resource based on the Pain Toolkit, a simple information booklet by Pete Moore. 

 

Print

Butler, D., Moseley, G. (2013) Explain Pain. Noigroup Publications. 

Darnall, B. (2014). Less Pain, Fewer Pills: Avoid the Dangers of Prescription Opioids and Gain Control Over Chronic Pain. Boulder, CO: Bull Publishing Company.

LeFort, S. M., Webster, L., Lorig, K., Holman, H., Sobel, D. S., Laurent, D., … Minor, M. A. (2021). Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain, 2nd Edition. Boulder, CO: Bull Publishing Company.

 

Videos

Understanding pain & what to do about it in less than 5 minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLWntMDgFcs&t=129s

- Joint Pain Education Project video from the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM) to learn more about chronic pain management.