The Comforter Spring Summer 2016
Transcription
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