Livingston HealthCare

11/14/2025

💜 Talking About What Matters Most

End-of-life planning can feel difficult to talk about—but it’s truly an act of love. Planning ahead isn’t just about preparing for the future; it’s about living with intention, protecting your dignity, and giving peace of mind to those you care about.

This November, during National Home Health and Hospice Month, we’re highlighting the Five Wishes program by Aging with Dignity—a simple, compassionate tool that helps you express how you want to be cared for during serious illness or at the end of life.

Five Wishes covers:
1. Who you want to make healthcare decisions for you
2. The kind of care you want—or don’t want
3. How comfortable you’d like to be
4. How you want others to treat you
5. What you want your loved ones to know

It’s legally valid in Montana and accepted by most healthcare providers. More importantly, it’s a conversation that brings clarity, comfort, and connection.

Let’s take time this season to talk about what matters most—because planning ahead isn’t about loss, it’s about love.

🩺 Provided by Henry Piñango, MD

Learn more at www.fivewishes.org.

11/13/2025

🌟 Tree of Life — Honoring Those We Love

Each December, Livingston HealthCare Hospice comes together with our community to honor and remember those who have touched our lives. During the Tree of Life ceremony, lights are dedicated in memory or celebration of loved ones — each one shining with meaning, connection, and compassion.

All proceeds support Livingston HealthCare Hospice services for patients and families in our region.

If you’d like to dedicate a light this year, donations are due by November 19.

✨ Tree of Life Ceremony
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
5:30–6:30 PM
Livingston Depot Center

To dedicate a light in honor or memory of someone special, visit: https://www.livingstonhealthcare.org/giving/donations/

Together, we remember. Together, we celebrate. Together, we keep their light shining.

11/13/2025

🦶 Diabetes and Your Feet
Did you know diabetes can have a significant impact on foot health?

Livingston HealthCare’s Dr. Andrew Rice, DPM, FACFAS explains three common ways diabetes can affect your feet:

1️⃣ Neuropathy – Loss of sensation can make it hard to feel injuries or friction, increasing the risk of blisters, ulcers, and infection. Some people may also experience burning or tingling sensations in their feet.
2️⃣ Angiopathy – Diabetes can cause poor circulation, reducing oxygen flow to skin and tissues. This can lead to slow-healing wounds and increase the risk of infection or even limb loss.
3️⃣ Immunopathy – A reduced immune response can make it harder for your body to fight infections, especially in the skin and deeper tissues of the feet.

Regular foot checks, good blood sugar control, and prompt attention to any sores or changes are essential to prevent complications.

If you have concerns about your foot health, schedule an appointment with your provider. Call 406.222.3541.

11/12/2025

🥦 Diabetes-Friendly Recipe: Maple-Thyme Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Looking for a side dish that’s both nutritious and full of flavor? Try this delicious recipe recommended by Livingston HealthCare’s Clinical Dietitian and Diabetes Educator, Sadie Seidel, RDN.

These Maple-Thyme Roasted Brussels Sprouts strike the perfect balance—naturally sweet, savory, and packed with fiber to help support healthy blood sugar levels.

1 pound fresh brussels sprouts
1 small bunch fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon each, salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees farenheit.
Trim and halve brussels sprouts; add to a medium bowl.
Remove thyme leaves from the stems and add to the bowl.
Add garlic, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper to the bowl
and toss to combine. Spread out in a single layer on a
baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast until the sprouts
are fork-tender and beginning to brown, 20–25 minutes

11/12/2025

As we head deeper into the winter months in Montana, many of us feel the shift — colder weather, less daylight, and fewer opportunities to get out and connect. It’s natural for that to impact our mood and energy.

One simple practice that can make a difference? Gratitude.

Gratitude helps shift our focus from what’s missing… to what’s already here. It’s difficult to feel both unhappy and grateful at the same time. When your mind centers on what you’re thankful for — even small things — moments of joy become more accessible.

Over time, noticing what you appreciate can help those parts of your life feel richer and more abundant.

A small practice, big impact.

Provided by Chris Spromberg, PsyD, Livingston HealthCare

11/11/2025

What is Hospice?

Hospice is specialized care that focuses on comfort, dignity, and quality of life when a cure is no longer possible. Hospice shifts the focus from curing to caring — supporting patients and their families through the final stages of life.

Our Hospice team includes nurses, physicians, therapists, social workers, chaplains, and trained volunteers who work together to:

• manage pain and symptoms
• support emotional + spiritual needs
• provide needed medications, supplies, and equipment
• coach families and caregivers in providing comfort care
• arrange therapies or respite care if needed
• offer ongoing counseling + bereavement support for loved ones

Hospice care doesn’t end at the time of death — support continues for family and friends as they navigate grief. 💜

11/10/2025

Do you know your A1C?

Your A1C is a simple blood test that shows your average blood sugar level over the past 2–3 months — and it’s one of the most important markers for understanding your risk for type 2 diabetes and other long-term health concerns.

Even if you feel fine, elevated A1C levels can develop quietly over time. Knowing your numbers can help you:

• identify risk early
• make informed lifestyle changes
• work proactively with your provider
• prevent complications before they start

Talk with your provider about whether an A1C test is appropriate for you — especially if you have a family history of diabetes, have been told your blood sugar is “borderline,” or have noticed changes in energy, vision, or weight.

11/10/2025

11/07/2025

What is Home Health? 🏡

Home Health brings Livingston HealthCare’s care and expertise to you — right in the comfort and familiarity of your own home.

Our Home Health team works closely with your physician to support recovery and independence. Services can include:

• Skilled nursing care
• Post-surgery and wound care
• Rehabilitation services
• Diabetes care
• Medical social work
• Personal care assistance

For many, Home Health is the bridge between hospital care and returning to daily life independently — helping patients heal, regain strength, and feel supported during recovery.

11/07/2025

✨💙 Save the Date: Tree of Life Ceremony

Each December, Livingston HealthCare Hospice and the Livingston HealthCare Foundation invite our community to gather for the annual Tree of Life — a long-standing tradition of remembrance, reflection, and hope.

For 35 years, the Tree of Life has honored loved ones we’ve lost, and celebrated those still with us — illuminating more than just a tree, but also the love and connection that continues long after someone is gone.

Every dedicated light represents someone special — and those names are added to our memorial scroll, displayed at the ceremony and throughout the year at Livingston HealthCare.

Tree of Life Ceremony
📅 Wednesday, December 3, 2025
⏰ 5:30 – 6:30 PM
📍 Livingston Depot Center

All proceeds support Livingston HealthCare Hospice care in our community.

If you’d like to dedicate a light in memory or honor of someone, visit:
https://www.livingstonhealthcare.org/giving/donations/

To sponsor or volunteer, please email Anita.Maxwell@livhc.org.

11/05/2025

Gratitude isn’t just a nice idea — it’s good for our mental and physical health.

Research shows that when we intentionally notice what we’re thankful for, we can actually increase our emotional resilience and patience. Gratitude can boost optimism, support better emotional regulation, and even positively influence physical wellbeing.

So when life feels overwhelming or unpredictable, gratitude might be one of the most powerful tools we have.

What’s one small thing you’re grateful for?

Message provided by Chris Spromberg, Psy.D, Behavioral Health at Livingston HealthCare.

11/04/2025

Home Health & Hospice Month 💙

This month, we’re honoring the remarkable work of Livingston HealthCare’s Home Health and Hospice team.

These are the caregivers who bring expert medical care, therapy, support, and comfort into the homes of our community—helping patients recover, manage illness, maintain independence, and experience compassionate end-of-life care.

Their work often happens quietly, behind the scenes, but the impact is profound.

Thank you for the respect, dignity, and compassion you bring into every home you enter. Your work changes lives every single day, and we are grateful.