Caregiver in Spartanburg SC
In your role as a family caregiver for your elderly parents your entire life is about helping others. You dedicate your time, effort, and energy to making sure that their physical, emotional, and medical needs 
Donating blood is one of the most powerful and selfless ways you can impact the world around you. Giving blood is literally helping to give life to people in dire medical situations and is a simple process, but most blood banks are severely lacking in supplies. This can mean that patients do not have the blood they need to get through tragic situations or extensive surgeries, particularly in the event of widespread emergencies that result in a large number of patients in need at the same time.
If you have never donated blood before, you may be nervous about the process or unsure how to go about becoming a blood donor. Here are some things you should know about blood donation as you prepare to help others on World Blood Donor Day and throughout the rest of the year:
• Someone is in need of a blood transfusion approximately every 2 seconds
• Average adults have approximately 10 to 12 pints of blood in their body
• Around 40,000 pints of blood are given to patients in need each day
• There is no substitute for human blood
• When donating, one pint of blood is drawn
• After donation, the blood undergoes a minimum of 12 tests to ensure the blood is healthy and safe for transfusion into a patient
• Donors with type O positive blood are in the highest demand because this is not only the most common type of blood, it is also “Universal”, meaning this blood can be transfused into any patient in an emergency
• Type AB negative is the rarest blood type, but those with this type of blood can accept transfusions of any blood type in an emergency
• The entire donation process takes a little over an hour, with around 10 minutes of that being the actual drawing of the blood
• You can donate whole blood once every 8 weeks
Donating blood does not have to be a stressful situation. Use these tips to make your donation safer, healthier, and easier:
• Make sure you are in good health prior to going in to donate
• Drink an extra 16 ounces of non-alcoholic fluid prior to your donation
• Eat a healthy, low-fat meal prior to your donation. Be aware that high-fat foods alter your blood and make it impossible for proper tests to be performed, so the blood will not be usable
• Dress comfortably and wear a shirt with short sleeves or with sleeves that are easy to roll or fold above your elbow
• Stay calm during the draw by listening to music or talking with the technician
• Take time after your donation to have a drink and snack
• Avoid strenuous work and situations in which fainting would be dangerous for 24 hours after your donation
• Drink an extra 32 ounces of nonalcoholic fluids over the next 24 hours to help your body replenish the blood
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring caregiver services near Spartanburg, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116.
Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens,Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.
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