JourneyTheAugust 2

012

Swansea Office Open House was a

Success

Congrats, August

Employees of the month

In the news:Doctors report trouble with grief

UnexpectedHonor

July 2012 The Journey1

CONTENTS

August 2012

Changes are coming..................................2

Journeying.....................................................3

The Unexpected..........................................4

Swansea’s Open House.............................5

Around Town............................................6-7

Doctors report trouble with grief..........7

To care for others, care for yourself............................................7

Employees of the Month....................8-10

Index:

www.HospiceDreams.org

Mission Statement: Hospice Dreams is a non-profit wish granting organization dedicated to fulfilling unmet wishes, decreasing stress and improving quality of life for adult hospice patients.

hospicedreams.wordpress.com

A Benefit for Hospice Dreams

at the Kankakee Country Club2011 Cobb Boulevard, Kankakee, IL 60901

Monday, September 24, 2012

11:00 am Check in & Registration | 12:00 pm Shotgun StartReception & Dinner immediately following

Silent Auction Prizes

The Dreams are Ageless Golf Outing is a major fundraising effort to support the work of Hospice Dreams. As a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization Hospice Dreams gives hospice patients the opportunity to live out a dream – a final adventure – where they can spend a joy-filled day with loved ones creating memories of living.

Help others to live out their dream by participating in the Dreams are Ageless 2012 golf outing as a participant, sponsor or donor.

To register for the golf outing please call: (888) 741-9132For more information on sponsorship opportunities please call

Stacy Barclay at: (815) 953-2286To download a registration form, visit our golf outing website at:

HospiceDreams.Wordpress.com

AdministratorMichael Gillman

Executive Medical DirectorRajiv Kandala, MD

Social ServicesRoxxi Davis

Spiritual CareJoe Barefield

Clinical ServicesCarmen Velez

Physician ServicesChris Doyle

AdmissionsEmily O’Malley

PR and FoundationKansas Swain

Phone1-888-741-8985Toll-free

E-mailinfo@passageshospice.com

On the webwww.passageshospice.com

Connect with us!

JourneyThe

I hope you enjoy this special highlights edition of our newsletter! Based on feedback from our readers, we’re changing the format of the newsletter. Starting in September, The Journey will be published every other month and include important awareness issues and recognitions for the upcoming season. Our goal is to give you the information you need to be successful in the healthcare, long-term care, senior care, dementia care or hospice fields. The Journey will continue to feature great digital content like videos and photos, plus ideas for activities and ways to recognize upcoming health-related events.

Your submissions of stories, events and pictures are critical to The Journey’s success and we hope you’ll continue to send them in. See you in September!

Change Ahead

Feeling run down from constant caregiving? Avoid caregiver fatigue with these tips from Bereavement Coordinator Cherie McCormick.

Click Here for Tips

It's been three years since I began serving in hospice. I feel grateful and gratified knowing that I have journeyed with so many (to be exact, 280 to date) facing life's journey with pain and courage.

There were many moments my heart shrank upon hearing of the passing of someone I served and cared for, even though I knew they were ready to move on and wanted them to be relieved from physical pain and sufferings. My introspection of someone completing their journey always reminded me my own journey and how well I am prepared for the event.

One of my patients told me, “Chaplain, I am afraid you can't help me.” I responded, “I am sorry I'm not

able to help.” I think our ability to care is directly pro-portional to our vulnerability. Our strength can come with a sense of vulnerability, just to show that we are humans. Such encounters thread a bond between

two humans building an unique relationship that can be spiritual or transcending.

“Those of us at the front lines know that life is a collectivity and that we are morally and ineluctably bound to remain vulnerable to the sufferings of others.”

- J.L. William

Thank you colleagues for your tireless service and support. May we continue to be a part of someone's life story and journey.

Our strength can come with a sense of vulnerability, just to show that we are humans.

By: Albert D’Souza, Chaplain

“You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live. Now.” - Joan Baez.

Journeying

Any man’s (woman’s) death diminishes me,Because I am involved in mankind;And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;It tolls for thee.- John Donne

July 2012 The Journey 5

One of the most influential experiences I’ve had while working with Passages was a meeting with a new patient. It appeared this would be an ordinary patient-social worker relationship at first. He seemed like a sweet, considerate man, who, like many of the patients I see, had a wide array of life experiences under his belt. He was born in Europe and after World War II emigrated to Michigan where was a tailor and owned his own clothing store. As some of my patients and families have stated, I am a “young” social worker, only having been in the field for 3 years or so. At times, my age causes patients or families to have little faith in my abilities as a social worker, despite many years of education and a license to practice social work.

Compared to other seasoned social workers, my experience in the field is considered minimal. So this man, I believe as a caring gesture, would often offer me advice about true love (which he shared with his late wife), family issues (often relating to his own), and life in general in what seemed to be an attempt to guide a young lady like me through life. After every visit, I took in his advice and thought to myself, “What a great outlook he has on life.” One day I noticed a tattoo consisting of numbers on this man’s arm, which was normally covered. Immediately I knew what that tattoo was - a scar from a painful experience that this man with such a beautiful outlook on life had to endure. Suddenly all the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fit and I knew why he had the outlook he did. His family confirmed my suspicions, though they informed me that he does not usually like to talk about it.

I felt so sad for him, only imagining what he went through in his early years of life. Not wanting to invade his privacy, I never asked about his experiences, despite the fact that I burned with curiosity and interest. During one visit, he finally shared with me that he was a Holocaust survivor. At that point, I knew whatever was on my agenda for the rest of that day could wait because he was ready to talk about his experience. I learned that he was the only one in his family who had survived. I learned that his family had hidden jewelry, and after the war, he had to go dig it up from the ground. He showed me his prized ring, which the only thing he was able to keep when he had to sell the rest to fund his move to the United States.

Never in a million years would I have thought that I would ever have an experience like this one - to sit and converse with a man who survived the Holocaust. Better yet, the fact that he felt comfortable enough to share some of this painful experience with me was an honor. The immense amount of respect that I have for his courage and very positive outlook on life, despite the trials and tribulations he endured, is something I will carry with me forever. I feel so privileged that he was able to share with me, as I know this opportunity will likely not be available to me again. I count this conversation as one of the most memorable and humbling experiences I have had while working in this field. In fact, one of the greatest perks of working with elderly people is that they have so much wisdom and life experience to share, which is one of the many reasons why this line of work is so satisfying to me. I continually learn from others life experiences, which has proven thus far to be very helpful to me in my time as a hospice social worker.

The Unexpected

Kriston Kurelic, Social Worker

July 2012 The Journey6

OPEN HOUSEJuly 19th

Our Swansea office celebrated an open house with the local Chamber of Commerce! It was great to

meet members of the southern Illinois community!

The language of friendship is not words but meanings. ~Henry David Thoreau

July 2012 The Journey 8

Our Michigan team enjoyed a night out at the Detroit Tigers game on July 6th courtesy of Players Give Back Ticket program and the MLB.

Admissions Coordinator Mary Rossio volunteered time to help Embassy Health Care Center celebrate the 4th of July and beat the heat with popsicles! As a special treat, 2-year-old Aidan visited with residents.

Around the Town

Charlotte Schumacher takes a break from her busy day to enjoy the game.

Sian Washington enjoyed spending time with her family at the game.

Congratulations to Amy O'Dea, our Bloomington-area Volunteer Coordinator! Amy was featured on the homepage of VolunteerMatch.com, one of the biggest

volunteer recruitment websites out there!

"Volunteers are the unsung heroes of our society," says Amy. "They each have a story as to why they are volunteering and I love hearing these stories."

We're proud of you, Amy! Click here to read Amy's story.

In the news:Doctors report trouble with grief

Congrats!

A recent study found that doctors have a hard time expressing their grief over losing

patients. We’re reaching out to hospice physicians to give them a safe place to

express themselves.

Click Here for News

Congrats! Employees of the Month

Julie Thomas

Patti Dunn

Mary Colyer

Mary reworked her schedule to make sure she was available for to help another department with their duties while still caring for her patients.

Patti received praise from a family. “Patti’s presence, genuine caring, and ability is THE single, biggest comfort I have as my mom progresses through her disease. Please know that Patti is not just a nurse to my mom; she is a source of great comfort to me, too.”

A family was very grateful for Julie and everything she has done for their mother. The son said she was a wonderful nurse.

April Renzull

Laura Baldwin

Chrissy Cataldo

Nancy Pajak

Kristen Kurelic

April is always smiling and provides exceptional service to our patients. She is a great team member and the patients recognize her positive attitude and respond to her.

Laura and another staff member drove more than 3 hours from Swansea to Bloomington with little notice to ensure a patient could attend a Dream in the minivan.

Chrissy has shown great team work by going the extra mile in covering for another chaplain.

Nancy has taken on the responsibility of providing education on advance directives to her facilities.

Kriston is working with the other members of her team to provide education to the facilities she serves.

July 2012 The Journey 11

Lauren Bruggenthies Lott

Casey Rolape

Erin Rahan

Kevin Jackson

Rob Bartosiewicz

Rob was happy to help when other staff were on vacation, going far out of his way to visit more patients.

Kevin always has excellent charting and ensures his patients get the important care they need!

Erin is always willing to help around the office and is particularly important during meetings.

Casey took extra time to train a new staff member to ensure that her patients receive the best care.

Lauren has been a big help during the transition of the PARO program and always goes out of her way to make sure patient visits are successful.

Passages Hospice

We are dedicated to enhancing quality of life by promoting superior end of life care, easing the suffering, and providing continued compassion for the sick and dying in a way that ensures dignity and respect.

We are dedicated to promoting realistic outcomes.

We are dedicated to working with professionals who follow the highest values of excellence to establish an individualized plan of care offering personal choices and decisions while still maintaining each patient’s uniqueness.

We are dedicated to being receptive to each patient and family’s social, emotional, intellectual, safety and physical needs.

We are dedicated to a level of care that encourages the safe and cost-effective delivery of hospice care.

We are dedicated to the human spirit.

Your passage to care and comfort.

Bloomington, IL 404 N. Hershey Road, Ste. A Bloomington, IL 61704 Phone: 309.828.8139 Fax: 309.827.4878 Carbondale, IL 120 North Tower Rd., Ste. A Carbondale, IL 62901 Phone: 618.490.1040

Lisle, IL 515 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532 Phone: 630.824.0400 Fax: 630.395.9235

Rockford, IL 929 S. Alpine Road, Ste. 202 Rockford, IL 61108 Phone: 815.226.7785 Fax: 815.226.7786

Swansea, IL 16 Bronze Pointe Blvd. Swansea, IL 62226 Phone: 618.234.7078 Fax: 618.257.7266

Livonia, MI 38099 Schoolcraft RoadLivonia, MI 48150Phone: 734-744-5091Fax: 734-744-5092

Providing Quality Care In:

www.passageshospice.com info@passageshospice.com

Anonymous Compliance Hotline (866) 842-7093

As part of our continuing commitment to compliance we are encouraging facilities and other partners to use this number if they have a concern.

New locations coming soon!