The Comforter Spring Summer 2016

Spring - Summer 2016
A publication of
Hospice of the Panhandle.
Introducing Helping Hearts:
How hospice can help your loved one
with heart disease
Bird ho
uses b
uilt
by Help
ing He
arts pa
tient F
red
Skagg
s
Also in this issue:
How Helping Hearts helped one man get back into his woodshop
Volunteer of the Year announced
Veteran profile: Ruth Highbarger
HOTP first in the nation to present national program!
Upcoming
Volunteer
Trainings
from Margaret Cogswell,
CEO
CONTENTS
Volunteers
Cover Story
Veterans
Grief Support Services
Hospice Happenings
Board of Directors
3-4
5-8
7
9
10-11
12
C O N TA C T
330 Hospice Lane
Kearneysville | WV 25430
phone | 304.264.0406
toll free | 800.345.6538
www.hospiceotp.org
Hospice launches new Helping Hearts program
As long as I’ve been at Hospice of the
Panhandle, I have worked to help people
understand what we do and who can benefit from our care. Initially people had not
even heard the word “hospice,” let alone
understood what we could do to help. As
time went on people understood that we helped people who were very sick but thought our
program was just for cancer patients. Then for some, the word “hospice” became associated only with dying, so the interpretation was in order to receive services you had to be
within days of the end of life.
Hospice care, and particularly Hospice of the Panhandle, has always been a program
of care and support for individuals and their families with advanced illness. We have never
limited our care to cancer patients nor do we care for individuals only in the last days of
their lives. We certainly do both of those but we do so much more.
We are looking for 11th
Hour Volunteers!
If you think you would like
to be part of this special
group of volunteers,
join us at one of the
following trainings:
Fridays, July 15 & 22
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Fridays, October 14 & 21
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
To register for volunteer
training, contact Tricia
at (304) 264-0406,
ext. 1224 or tlawrence@
hospiceotp.org.
Part of our work has always been to break down the barriers that keep people from
receiving the most compassionate care centered on body, mind and spirit. This February,
Hospice of the Panhandle started another program to break down one more barrier.
Our Helping Hearts program is designed specifically for individuals with heart problems.
Margaret Cogswell, CEO,
has been at the helm of
Hospice of the Panhandle
for 28 years. Under her
direction, the organization
has grown from an allvolunteer organization to
a vibrant health care provider
serving more than 140
patients daily throughout
Berkeley, Hampshire, Jefferson
and Morgan counties.
2
Message
Volunteers play a big role in the lives of Hospice patients
Volunteers are often referred to as the heart and soul of hospice. Like staff, they
are engaged in our mission to provide compassionate care to the terminally ill in our
community.
Managing volunteers is not a job to me; it is my passion. I love working with
them! Nothing blesses my heart more than to hear what an impact volunteers make
in the lives of our patients and the staff who work with them weekly or on special
projects. They encourage me and make me want to be a better person.
I recently had a unique opportunity with a volunteer.
This volunteer attended our training and was looking for an opportunity to give
back. She had beaten cancer once in her life and previously volunteered with a
hospice in another state. Soon after training was completed, she stood in my office
and said that her cancer had returned. She was going to fight it like she had before
and would be back to volunteering in a few months. However, two weeks later she
became our patient.
This woman was determined. She knew exactly what she wanted and planned
to spend her last days in our inpatient facility. As she became weaker, she decided it
was time to come to our facility. She declined quickly and within days was actively
dying.
As we age, our bodies wear out, and as they do, we can have a variety of problems
including pain, shortness of breath and swelling. Sometimes relatively simple things like
a new medication can solve the problem. Other times surgery is needed. But there comes
a time in life when these solutions don’t really solve the problem anymore and what we
want to do is focus on what is most important. That’s where programs like Helping Hearts
can make a difference. For a Helping Hearts patient, it’s not about getting rid of the pain as
much as managing it in order to sit at the dinner table with family or be less short of breath
in order to talk to the grandkids when they visit.
Helping Hearts is designed to do just that – to make each day better even when the
problem can’t be solved. The compassionate caring Hospice is known for is extended to
those whose hearts need it the most. Please call us if you have questions about this new
program or if you know someone we can help.
By Tricia Lawrence, Volunteer Coordinator
One morning I went over to see her, and she was unresponsive. I sat with her,
holding her hand, stroking her hair and talking softly to her. When company arrived
I went back to my office and told the nurse to call if they left because I did not want
her to die alone. No sooner did I sit down than the nurse called to tell me she was
breathing her last, and if I wanted to see her one more time, I needed to hurry. I had
the honor of sitting in the last moments of her life holding her hand as she slipped
away in comfort and peace.
The Comforter is published
by Hospice of the Panhandle
for friends and supporters.
Editor: Ashley Horst
If you wish not to receive
The Comforter, please
contact Ashley at
(304) 264-0406
or [email protected].
Many of our volunteers do this in the role of an 11th hour volunteer. Most of
the time, these very special volunteers sit with patients who do not have family or
friends who live nearby. It can be at any time, day or night. We do not want our
patients to die alone. No one should, which is why these volunteers play a vital role
at the end of life. Supporting our patients through the end of their lives is what we do
and walking alongside them is what our volunteers do.
Volunteers 3
Helping Hearts helps Martinsburg man live more!
By Ashley Horst, Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator
Volunteers of the Year: Bob & Bev Kinsey
Over the years we have had amazing volunteers receive
the title “Volunteer of the Year.” This year we had two!
Our volunteer department has grown by leaps and bounds
over the years, and we have seen an increase in spouses coming together to volunteer. Hospice currently has 14 married
couples who volunteer together. All of the sayings are true…
two are better than one, two peas in a pod, and especially, two
for the price of one.
For only the second time ever, the title “Volunteers of the
Year” was given to a couple.
Bob and Bev Kinsey are not strangers to giving back. For
years they have been involved in their church and the community, helping others in many ways. They came to hospice
in 2013 with a desire to help others at the end of life. The idea
of volunteering together for visits was appealing to them, although they do assignments separately as well. They
enjoy spending time together which includes serving others through respite for family members, friendly visits
with patients, transportation, special patient requests, 11th hour volunteering, those very last minute requests and
sometimes taking assignments in less-than-desirable situations.
The Kinseys understand and align themselves with the mission of hospice. Having had family in hospice
before, they understand both sides of the coin. They are advocates for hospice, willing to talk to anyone about
hospice services, even guiding others through the process of getting hospice services. They have touched the
lives of patients’ families and have even been the reason that someone else came to volunteer.
This couple is flexible, available, dedicated, compassionate, caring and down-right AWESOME!
Congratulations to Bob & Bev Kinsey for being named Volunteers of the Year.
4 Volunteers
He had gained 50 pounds of fluid in just 10 days and
his body was shutting down. The heart disease that he
had been fighting was catching up to him.
When Fred made it through the night, Dr. Cathy
Funk recommended that he go home with hospice.
Two days later Fred was home under the care of hospice. He was bedbound and Carina, his hospice nurse,
told Walleah that she expected that her husband would
be with her for about another two weeks.
That was at the end of December.
In April, Fred was showing off the derby cars that
he’s made in the past for the Boy Scouts. He even has
one that looks like Mater from the Disney movie Cars.
It’s become the mascot of the local Boy Scout Pinewood
Derby.
And since Hospice’s physical therapist declared him
steady enough to start woodworking again, he’s looking
forward to getting back out in his woodshop to finish the
many birdhouses he’d started.
When asked about his projects, Fred replies, “Oh
yeah, I’ve got probably two dozen things started and I’d
like to finish them. It’s a lot of activity but you can’t call
it work if you enjoy what you’re doing.”
Before long Fred and Walleah were back in church
and going out to eat.
Fred tells this story about being back in church:
“When I was back in church for the first time, our
pastor remarked about how I almost died. I replied that I
didn’t get the memo,” Fred pauses to chuckle. “Our pastor countered that I may not have gotten the memo, but I
almost got the certificate!”
For Fred and Walleah, Helping Hearts has helped
them do the things that they enjoy together.
“Hey, I’ve got him back,” Walleah says as she looks
at her husband with whom she renewed her wedding
vows on April 10th after more than 30 years together.
As a former science teacher from Kanawha County,
Fred puts his knowledge to use helping the Boy Scouts
with the pinewood derby and teaching them about subjects such as geology and weather.
While they don’t have children of their own, the
Skaggs have friends who are close enough to call their
kids or grandkids. Every day they receive multiple phone
calls just checking in on them. The couple clearly shares
a life of love and friendship with many around them.
Fred and Walleah credit Hospice and the Helping
Hearts program with giving them more time to enjoy this
life they’re living together.
How did Fred go from four hours to more than four
months?
The Skaggs found that hospice care was much different than they had heard. Rather than worsening over
time and then passing away, Fred began to improve!
Fred became one of the first patients of the new
Helping Hearts program, a program of care specially
designed for people in the last stages of heart disease.
Upcoming Volunteer Events
Volunteer Social
Thursday, June 23 5:30 p.m.
Education Center
Main Office
Four to 24 hours is how long Fred Skaggs had left
to live. At least that’s what the nurses in the emergency
room told his wife Walleah. A nurse herself, Walleah really believed that it would be closer to four.
Alzheimer’s Workshop
Thursday, September 29
10:00 a.m.
Education Center
Main Office
To RSVP for the any volunteer events, contact Tricia
at (304) 264-0406, ext. 1224 or [email protected].
His care team worked with Dr. Funk to reduce the
fluid that was building up in his body. As the fluid lessened, he began working with physical therapist Shaun.
The couple completed sections of the Helping Hearts
workbook, one of which helped them develop an emergency plan to control Fred’s symptoms if he were to
need it. They’ve also worked with Vicky, his hospice
social worker, to identify their hopes and goals
for the future.
Cover Story 5
What is Helping Hearts?
Helping Hearts is a new program we are offering to people who are in the advanced stages of heart disease. The
goal of the program is to help them better manage their symptoms and avoid trips to the emergency room through:
Is Helping Hearts right for you?
Ask yourself...
;; Are you in the advanced stages of heart disease?
•
Home visits by nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains and grief counselors,
•
Medications and medical supplies (including oxygen) related to controlling the symptoms of heart disease,
•
A personalized emergency plan,
;; Has your doctor said that you should focus on being comfortable
rather than curing your heart disease?
•
An occupational therapy evaluation,
•
An evaluation by a registered dietitian,
;; Do you experience shortness of breath even when resting?
•
Support of volunteers who can help with transportation and light housekeeping,
•
Weekly check-in calls from volunteers in between staff visits,
•
24-hour on-call support, and
•
Access to inpatient care for symptom management needs.
Like most hospice services, care in the Helping Hearts program is covered by Medicare, WV Medicaid and most
private insurance plans.
;; Do you make frequent trips to the emergency room for chest pain,
shortness of breath or dizziness?
If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may be able to get affordable, in-home
care through Helping Hearts of the Panhandle.
Call (304) 264-0406 or go to www.hospiceotp.org/helpinghearts for more information.
Informational visits for the Helping Hearts program are free of charge and can be arranged by calling our Access
Department at (304) 264-0406.
At Hospice of the Panhandle we are committed to serving our
nation’s veterans with all of the dignity and honor that they
deserve. We are proud to be a part of their care and enjoy sharing
their stories with the permission of the veteran and/or their family.
VETERAN PROFILE
Name: Ruth Highbarger
Branch: Army
Ruth enlisted in the Women’s Army Corp in 1944 when she was 22 years old.
Before joining the military, she worked at a furniture company in Hagerstown,
MD, while her husband was deployed during World War II.
While her company was making items for the war effort, the call went out for
more support for the military, and Ruth answered that call and enlisted ‒
without telling her husband!
Pretty soon she was in training at Chatham Army Airfield in Georgia. After
training she spent the next year driving Jeeps and trucks in the motorpool.
Ruth enjoyed her service in the Army but decided to return home when her
husband Paul was wounded. Ruth left the Army in 1945.
We thank Ruth’s family for sharing her story with us.
6 Cover Story
Veterans 7
Loving without regret
Helping Hearts for your loved ones
My first caregiver
was my Aunt Rose.
Before I went to kindergarten, Aunt Rose and I
were constant companions. Actually, it was for
years after that – she was
my babysitter during
By Maria Lorensen,
summers
as well. She and
Development Director
Uncle Herman had a small
house about a block and a half from ours. She had no
children of her own, but she took care of me and many
others.
During my days with
her, she would be cooking and
packing meals for homebound
family members and friends,
and strategizing on which ill
relatives or church friends we
would visit.
She watched her weight, was very conscious of what
she ate, and except for one pony-sized bottle of Rolling Rock a week, didn’t drink alcohol. Her other indulgence was Coke – and she probably limited herself
to one 8-ounce serving a week.
Her symptoms worsened as she aged – especially in her late 70s. She wasn’t a complainer, so it
was really difficult to tell how ill she really was. Even
when she wound up in the hospital, I often didn’t
know about it until she returned home.
Ultimately, Aunt Rose lived to the age of 90 (I
think she was 90; she was such a private person that
her age wasn’t even on the
funeral card!). She had a final
heart attack, and died at home,
where she wanted to be. Instead
of calling 9-1-1 the last time,
she called my father, who was
with her when she died.
Though it’s been years
At lunchtime we’d jump
since
Aunt Rose died, I’ve
in her green Rambler, with me,
been
thinking
of her a lot since
right up front with her (no car
we
launched
our
new Helping
seats back in THOSE days).
Hearts program in February.
We’d often make two or three
Aunt Rose’s final months were
stops during the outing, which
filled with hospital visits, and
often took several hours due to Aunt Rose with my son Will in 1990.
many
trips to the cardiologist.
the visits that went along with
I also remember how tired she seemed (not that she
the food.
complained).
Some days we visited the funeral home after all
Helping Hearts assists those who are in the end
the lunches were distributed. When one of the shutstages of cardiac disease. It’s was put into effect beins died, we would spend time paying our respects.
cause we at Hospice recognize the prevalence of heart
No one seemed to think it was odd that a young child
disease in West Virginia and in the four counties we
visited alongside Aunt Rose. And when I asked quesserve. And we want to help those cardiac patients live
tions about the deceased, Aunt Rose would answer
a full life.
with clarity.
Since the beginning of February, Helping Hearts
She showed me – by the way she lived her life
has
enrolled
16 new Helping Hearts patients. We think
– the meaning of compassion. She probably was my
those numbers will increase as more patients and
earliest influence on how to treat people at the end of
families learn about the program, and how they can
life with dignity, kindness and compassion.
benefit from it.
I found out, early on, that she, like her mother
For more information about Helping Hearts call
and brother (my father), had heart disease. Her heart
Hospice of the Panhandle at (304) 264-0406.
issues were hereditary, but she managed them well.
8 Cover Story
by Daniel Speis,
Grief Support & Spiritual
Care Services Coordinator
We human beings are social
beings. We are born with the capacity and desire to love and form
relationships with others.
From the time we are tiny
babies, we start bonding and connecting with people. We form many different kinds of
relationships. Some of these relationships will be deeper
and more meaningful than others.
When a person close to us dies, the resulting grief can
make it feel like a part of us died, too. In fact, the deeper
the connection with that person and the more profoundly
they affected your world, the deeper and more intensely
the grief can be.
The intensity of grief can often surprise and overwhelm people. One of the common phrases I hear people
say after the death of someone close to them is, “I didn’t
think it would be this hard!” I also hear regrets—those
things we did or said that we wished he hadn’t, or those
things we wished we’d said or done, but didn’t.
We all know that everyone must die, but we often
don’t live like we believe it. We get caught up in the day
to day living of life. We let our minds get carried away
with mundane concerns, problems, and worries that we
forget to live fully in the present. We forget to be engaged
with the people who matter the most to us, to say the most
important words, and to give our energy and attention to
those same people. If there is any one truth about life, it is
that all things are impermanent; everything changes, and
people we love will die.
So let today be the day that you evaluate your
relationships.
Are you giving enough time to the people who matter
the most to you? Have you told them how you feel? Have
you told them of your love and your gratitude for their part
of your life? If needed, have you asked for or offered forgiveness? If your loved one died today, are there important
words or actions that would be left unsaid or undone?
Interestingly, when we embrace the reality of death,
we embrace life. When we allow ourselves to embrace
how temporary life is and recognize that today may be the
last day for us or for our loved ones, we begin to experience living in the moment and value our relationhips with
others more deeply. Our perspectives and priorities can
shift, and our behaviors can become more in line with our
values, so that when death does come, we will have loved
without regret.
Hospice of the Panhandle Grief Support Services offers individual and group counseling free
of charge to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one.
The Center for Grief Support offers these
groups regularly throughout the year:
Support groups that run at set times
during the year:
Loss of a Husband,
Every Thursday, 1 - 2:30 p.m.
Parents’ Support Group
Mondays, June 6 - August 1, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Circle of Hope
2nd & 4th Thursday of each month, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
For more information about our Grief Support
Services, please go online to www.hospiceotp.
org, email [email protected] or call
(304) 264-3902.
Labyrinth Walk
Monday, May 30, 6:00 p.m.
Monday, June 27, 6:00 p.m.
Monday, July 25, 6:00 p.m.
Monday, August 29, 6:00 p.m.
Monday, September 26, 6:00 p.m.
Grief Support 9
What’s happening at Hospice?
Night at the Oscars
Thank you to all sponsors, donors and attendees who made the 2016 Night at the Oscars a hit!
Together we raised nearly $60,000!
Best Picture
HOTP program first in the nation!
Bank of Charles Town, Farmers & Mechanics Insurance Company and Penn Liquors
Best Director
West Virginia is 1st in the nation when it comes to its residents
having advance directives in place! Hospice of the Panhandle
contributed to this when we were the first in the nation to host
a screening and discussion of the PBS Frontline documentary
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End in partnership with WVU Medicine University Healthcare, WVU Health Sciences Center and the Hospice Foundation of America!
Brown Funeral Homes & Cremations and CNB Bank
Best Leading Actor
BB&T, Center for Dermatology, Dan Ryan Builders, Dulyea Construction, Eastern
Panhandle Republican Legislators, Dr. Lori Gochenour, D.D.S., MS, PLLC,
Mr. & Mrs. Travis Hill, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, Rob & Mary Logan
Hoxton, Mayor & Mrs. George Karos, Miller’s Apple Valley Toyota, My Bank! First
United Bank & Trust, National HME, Parsons Ford/Opequon Motors, Ryneal Medical
Transport, The Rev. Dr. & Mrs. G.T. Schramm, Senator & Mrs. Charles Trump, WVU
Medicine University Healthcare, United Bank and Valley Health
This national conversation drew 130 participants to watch the unfolding story of Dr. Atul Gawande as
he explores the struggles doctors face when talking to their patients about the end of life. The documentary was followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Sarah Phillips (Hospice of the Panhandle), Dr. Joshua
Dower (Stonerise Healthcare), Dr. Rosemarie Cannarella Lorenzetti (WVU School of Medicine-Eastern
Division), and Patty Davis (Mountains of Hope Cancer Coalition).
Best Supporting Actor
Skip Adkins, Jennifer Allen (in memory of Angelica White Ewing), Arndt-McBee
Insurance, Mr. & Mrs. David Asam, Bowles Rice, Center for Orthopedic Excellence,
Bridget Cohee (in memory of Gerard Joseph Cohee), Diane & Jim Dailey, First
Energy Foundation, Graphics Universal, Hornby Publishing Company, Jefferson
Distributing, MasterDry, Ours, Lawyer, Lewis & Company, PLLC, Dr. & Mrs. Roberto
Reyna, Mr. Robert Seem, Skinner Law Firm, Mr. & Mrs. Bradley Snowden, Valley
Homes & Style, and Dave & Joanne Wadsworth
More screenings are being set up throughout the year. For more information about upcoming
programs, contact Ashley Horst at (304) 264-0406 or by email [email protected] or go online
to www.hospiceotp.org.
In-kind Sponsors
The Bavarian Inn, The Journal and Panhandle Printing & Design
Fundraisers
Light Up A Life
Upcoming Events
Hampshire County
Hospice Auction
Saturday, August 13th
11 a.m.
Romney Fire Hall
Live auction!
10
Thank you to the many volunteers and donors who made Light Up A Life a beautiful
tribute to those who were remembered or honored during the holiday season.
Together we raised $40,000!
Quilt raffle!
Thank you to those who hosted fundraisers to help our patients and their families:
Donors to the Mega Gift Card Raffle
Timber Ridge Christian Church
Ourea Demons Motorcycle Club
50/50!
Events
Food and drinks!
Huge Bake sale!
To become an auction
sponsor or donate an item,
contact Ashley Horst at
(304) 264-0406 or
[email protected].
Martinsburg Bike Night
Saturday, August 20th
Ride registration: 12 p.m.
Berkeley Plaza, Martinsburg
Live entertainment: 5 p.m.
Downtown Martinsburg
Scenic motorcycle ride!
3 Live bands on stage!
Food and drinks!
Vendors!
To become a Bike Night
sponsor, contact Ashley
Horst at (304) 264-0406 or
[email protected].
Events
11
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #170
MARTINSBURG, WV
330 Hospice Lane
Kearneysville | WV 25430
phone | 304.264.0406
toll free | 800.345.6538
www.hospiceotp.org |
Board of Directors
Rev. George T. Schramm, President
Phyllis LeTart, Vice President
James Seibert, Treasurer
Dr. Craig Winkel, Secretary
Nina Arnett
David Asam
James B. Crawford
Diane Dailey
Mark Harrell
Aaron Henry
Barbara Pichot
Dr. Karen Rudolph
Bill Stubblefield
Susan Trump
Carter Wagoner
Thank you to our dedicated volunteers! The following
individuals were recognized for their service to our
patients and their families last year:
What’s inside?
Volunteers who were recognized for their years of service:
🍂🍂 A look at our new
program: Helping Hearts
30 years - Theresa Goodman
15 years - Karen Perry & Donna Snider
10 years - Donna Barbour, Carolyn Elliott, Doris Gambino,
Cheryl Gregory, Pat Henkes, Gayle McGowan, Sam Miller,
Jim Sartwell
5 years - Mary Jo Barnes, Nancy Bivens, Bobbi Blok, Jean
Foreback, Emily Funkhouser, Mary Ellen Largent, Dave Leathers,
Kelly Lopez, John Sherwood, Betty Stover, Jan Weinberg, Susan
Trump, Aaron Henry
Volunteers who completed more than 100 hours of service in 2015:
Beverly Baccala, Ann Bavry, Linda Benbrook, Kris Biauce, Nancy
Bivens, Bobbi Blok, Alberta Brown, Butch Burkley, Sylvia Catron,
Dan Cogswell, Ann Didden, Judy Femi, Jean Foreback, Jim
Freeman, Doris Gambino, Theresa Goodman, Cheryl Gregory,
Jeanne Hanson, Liz Huntington, Linda Hurley, Mona Imbach,
Wanda Kerns, Arlene Leitzke, Judy Lilga, Suzy Martz, Rodney
McDaniel, Jan Merique, Elaine Neufeld, Karen Perry, Susan Roth,
Stephanie See, Debbie Shaw, John Sherwood, Celeste Stotler,
Maxine Taylor, Andrea Watson and Janice Whittaker
🍂🍂 How Helping Hearts
helped one man live more
🍂🍂 Volunteer of the Year
announced
🍂🍂 Veteran Profile:
Ruth Highbarger
🍂🍂 HOTP first in the nation
to offer national program