Hope Flows Through Us

By: Norm Mast, President/CEO of Community Hospice

HOPE.  It’s a word that often has a negative meaning when associated with Hospice.  Most people you talk with will say that when you sign up with Hospice you are “giving up hope”.  I would like to propose that just the opposite is true.  Hospice is not about “giving up hope”, but restoring it and helping people revise what they may hope for. Community Hospice focuses on maximizing the quality of life based on the individual’s choices, so that the person may live life as fully as possible for as long as possible.

Hospice helps patients reclaim the spirit of life. It helps them understand that even though death can lead to sadness, anger, and pain, it can also lead to opportunities for reminiscence, laughter, reunion, and hope.  Community Hospice helps those we serve to continue to hope and plan each day for optimal quality of life.  Hope can be found from helping our patients and families achieve the highest possible level of physical comfort and peace of mind.

Ultimately, hope means different things to different people, and the compassionate staff of Community Hospice will be there for you on your journey … to live out whatever hope means to you.  Hospice patients never give up, nor do our staff and families give up. Care focuses on hope: hope to be pain free, hope to sit on the porch, hope to see your grandchild’s wedding or hope to celebrate your anniversary. We always hope for a cure, however if that is not possible, our goal at Community Hospice is that we are the vessel through which hope flows!

An Anniversary To Remember

Special anniversaries are very important milestones for our patients and their families. This held true for Kathryn and her husband Ted, who celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in August. Betty’s Gift Fund provided resources for Community Hospice staff to serve the couple a delicious lasagna dinner from Uncle  Primo’s at New Dawn Health Care. They also received a card, a chocolate cake (Kathryn’s favorite) and some lovely roses. The couple enjoyed their meal and shared some stories and photos of their life together.  They started dating when Ted was 17 and Kathryn was 15. After 4 years of dating, the couple married. Ted asked Kathryn why she married him and her reasons were “You had good teeth, good hair, good eyes, and you were taller than me.”

This beautiful couple had some wisdom to share as well.

1. 1)  Always have goals together
2. 2)  Don’t get too excited about things
3. 3)  Don’t go to bed angry at each other

They also have a secret code to say  sorry to each other which Kathryn    created. Ted shared some of their trials and the scripture they have believed in.  Deuteronomy 31:6  ” Be strong and courageous! …. He will   never leave you nor forsake you.”

They have displayed this strength and courage through the years together and know that their God nor each other will never leave them through this journey. This special experience was made possible by the Betty’s Gift fund.

 

Community Hospice from Down Under; A Maintenance Man’s Perspective

By Mark McKenzie, Facility Manager

My duties here at the Truman House give me a unique opportunity to come into contact with every aspect of the care we provide our patients and families; from Medical Records and Accounting, to Nurses and Aides, and everything in between.

In addressing the various maintenance needs of our organization, I am active in our greater community seeking pieces, parts and a variety of services that allow us to function smoothly and provide the best care possible. The beauty of my engagement with our greater community is that I am in perpetual contact with individuals whose families we have served.  It really doesn’t matter where I go – be it the grocery, the dry cleaners, restaurant supply or a local contractor because I wear my Community Hospice t-shirt everywhere I go, it is easy for people to identify my connection to our service.   As a result I have the honor and pleasure to hear stories and continuous expressions of gratitude pertaining to the quality of care their loved ones

received from our staff.  As I leave these intimate conversations, I always step a little lighter knowing that I get to be part of an organization that touches people at the level of their soul!  They become a part of us and we become a part of them in unspoken ways that changes all of our lives, forever!

One of the beautiful things that takes place in this unspoken world is the small gifts of gratitude that cycle back to Community Hospice in the most humble of ways.  Like several tons of rocks delivered and donated for our Rock Remembrance Garden; a Vita Mix blender for making staff and families smoothies; contractor services that go un-billed; student labor to help spread the 40 yards of mulch needed to keep our landscape looking sharp;   donated turkeys during holiday season; donuts; meals; you name it.  None of this we ask for!

Anyone who enters the world of Hospice Care, from volunteers to staff, becomes a steward of these sacred relationships.  We all carry loads here at Community Hospice that at times can feel overwhelming.  The beauty of this commitment to carry the load that is necessary, at times difficult and exhausting, is that we have all been a part of honoring the sacred. As a result, we perpetuate a stream of unspoken gratitude that circulates in our community, that stimulates acts of kindness and compassion which gives all of our lives meaning.  What a gift!

Hospice Patient Spotlight: The Korns Family

There are several emotions, so close to the surface for anyone who is being admitted into hospice care. Family members feel the same turmoil even though they know it is the right decision for their loved one. Whether our patient is admitted into home care, a facility or into the Hospice House, our goal is to bring physical and emotional comfort to our patient and their family. Medicine, of course, is a part of the process but making loved ones feel welcomed into our care calms fears and lessens stress.

Raymond “Dale” Korns and his wife Chrystel have a wonderful, close-knit  family with several generations who share love and support. While in the Hospice House, the Korns family welcomed a stream of visitors who brought food, a shoulder to rest on and kind words.  On one Saturday evening, they gathered with friends and family for a pizza party just outside of Dale’s room. Memories were shared and new memories made during that very special evening. The Hospice House became a gathering place and a home away from home. We at Community Hospice are blessed and consider it a privilege to be a part of this special time in our patient and their family’s lives.