- The St. Joseph Home Health program provides nursing care at home. This may be appropriate for patients who are unable to visit the outpatient Heart Failure Program and want to avoid unnecessary visits to the hospital or Emergency Department. Physical and occupational therapy can assist with energy conservation techniques. You or your loved one may be referred to the Home Health program after a discharge from the hospital or after discussing this option with your primary healthcare provider. For more information, click here.
- The St. Joseph Hospice Cardiac program provides excellent care to those with end-stage cardiac disease who would like to stay at home without having to come back to the hospital for pain or other cardiac symptoms such as fluid overload. A hospice nurse will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and other team members such as a social worker, chaplain and aide are available for support, counseling, assistance with accessing community resources and personal care. Hospice provides medications, equipment and supplies to ensure patient comfort and safety. Bereavement services are also available. For more information, click here.
St. Joseph Hospital offers a Heart Failure Discussion Group that meets on the fourth Monday of every month from 11 a.m. to noon in the second floor boardroom of the St. Joseph Hospital Outpatient Pavilion. The Outpatient Pavilion is located at 1140 W. La Veta Ave. in Orange. For more information, please call (714) 744-8858.
- Tools of the Trade: These are documents designed to help you manage heart failure and include the following:
- Daily Weight Tracker: this grid allows you to track your weight and blood pressure on a daily basis. You should complete this grid and bring it with you to each doctor’s appointment. Click here for more.
- Reading a Food Label for Sodium Content: this tool is designed to help you understand what to look for when reading a food label. Share these tips with family members or caretakers who prepare your meals. Click here for more.
- Telephone Calls to Your Doctor: a prompt to help you communicate effectively with your doctor when you are having symptoms of Heart Failure. Click here for more.
- The following are additional websites that may help you understand heart failure and how it is treated.