Bluegrass Care Navigators - Philanthropy Newsletter (Fall 2022)

BCN’s Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief

The night of July 27th saw sudden and catastrophic flooding throughout much of our service area in Eastern Kentucky. As flood waters began to rise, the immediate threat of this event was felt by our 250 team members and nearly 500 patients in this area. By morning, homes were washed away, and roads had crumbled with the ground underneath them. Whole towns were completely swallowed by flood waters, and thousands of individuals lost everything.

More than 20 BCN team members have damaged or completely destroyed homes. And many of our nearly 500 patients in Eastern Kentucky encountered much of the same – while also dealing with serious illness.

We are so proud of all our BCN Heroes who were both selfless and creative in their dedication to providing the expert care our patients needed. Our Eastern Kentucky team sprang into action to ensure that the medications and expert care we provide the seriously ill in these communities was not disrupted – wading through muck to visit patients and delivering necessary medical care via kayaks and ATVs when roads were not traversable.

One team member rushed over to our Hazard Regional Office to pump water out of our pharmacy as it was filling with water overnight. Others immediately began calling on patients to ensure their safety and assess their immediate needs. Our Durable Medical Equipment (DME) team even helped the Red Cross deliver a bariatric bed and wheelchair to a gentleman in need at a temporary shelter, even though he was not a patient of ours.

Within days our Central and Northern Kentucky teams rallied together to collect cleaning supplies, rubber boots and bottled water and transported them to our Hazard and Pikeville Regional Offices.

As the cleanup and rebuilding of these communities continues, meeting patient needs remains a challenge – but as you can imagine, the determination and grit of our hospice team always finds a way. We continue to be uplifted by the outpouring of generosity from our Caring Community, who understand the challenges that these communities now face. Gifts of financial support for Bluegrass Care Navigators and our Eastern Kentucky team and patients have come in from across our Commonwealth and the country. This kindness has helped provide the initial relief for so many individuals immediately following the flood.

It will be a long recovery from this tragic event, but we continue to be encouraged by the dedication of our team, the resilience of our Eastern Kentucky neighbors, and the support of our Caring Community. Tomorrow, we will pick up again! A new patient will come to us. A family will face the final phase of their loved one’s care. But they won’t be alone, because we will be right there with them.

FALL 2022

Hope Tables Help Families Process Emotions with Art Therapy

In the months since devastating floods disrupted life as normal for thousands of Eastern Kentuckians, Bluegrass Care Navigators has actively supported our own employees and patients in their first steps toward recovery. But even as they helped purchase supplies and coordinate support to teammates from the organization’s headquarters in Lexington, the agency’s counselors and therapists began to plan how to give love and care to the community at large. “We know families will face many stressful days ahead as they live in alternative locations, navigate the bureaucratic systems of relief aid, and deal with the grief and processing of loss,” said Dave Carper, Counseling Resource Officer for Bluegrass Care Navigators.

Carper and art therapist Whitney Clay took guidance from their teammates stationed in Hazard. Counselor Susan Houston and social worker Samantha Craft have been working with community leaders since the first day of the flooding response. They wanted to provide a therapeutic activity that could be set up where families are seeking assistance, and that would provide opportunities for distraction, reflection, and even a little bit of fun in the midst of so much stress.

With that goal in mind, Bluegrass Care Navigators began the “Hope Table” project. Counselors and chaplains from the organization set up Hope Tables at state parks and disaster recovery centers with activities and art projects to give children something to do while parents complete paperwork or to give families something new to do while living in an alternative setting. While participating in play and fun, counselors will guide families through discussions about their emotions, if desired. Families will also be invited to write or draw a message of hope and leave it behind as an inspiration to others.

“Art and play are such mindful activities, and they can be powerful tools for allowing emotions to come out in healthy ways,” said Whitney Clay, integrative medicine coordinator for Bluegrass Care Navigators. “We want to be present with families and give them opportunity to process whatever feelings come forward at the Hope Table.”

Bluegrass Care Navigators held their first Hope Table projects at Carr Creek State Park on August 24, and traveled to Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park on August 31.

Special Message from Our Hazard and Pikeville Executive Directors

Your continued support is needed now more than ever. Our teams have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our patients. From assisting in the coordination of airlifting patients to secure locations, to providing oxygen canisters for COPD patients while there was no electricity, and delivering water and food to anyone in need.

Many of our patients have not only lost their homes and personal possessions, but the medications and medical equipment they need to maintain their comfort and quality of life during this crisis and into the months and years ahead as our communities rebuild.

Tiffany Hollon Executive Director Hazard Regional Office

As the Directors for the Hazard and Pikeville regional offices, we see the personal impact on patients and families that your donations provide.

Your contribution matters.

Thank you for sharing hope and enabling care for our Eastern Kentucky patients and families during this challenging time.

Your donations directly impact the lives of other Kentuckians when they need it most.

bgcarenav.org/newsletter

Jennifer Starr Executive Director Pikeville Regional Office

Receiving More Than We Give

We recently received a call from Mr. R., whose wife had passed away on our hospice service. Mr. R. spoke with one of our Support Center Receptionists, Rhonda, and wanted the staff to know he had tested positive for COVID and he would need to reschedule her private service. He asked Rhonda if she had a few minutes for him. Rhonda immediately responded, “Yes.”

Mr. R. was eager to tell Rhonda about the 49 years he had built with his wife. He and his wife shared a love for old cars and joined a car club. She was gifted in making homemade rugs and other items that filled their home. He told Rhonda how they did everything together and enjoyed spending time with their friends, celebrating family weddings, and loved time with their children and grandchildren. And how they made a lot of important decisions together, dreamed big, and made sacrifices to make their dreams come true.

That day, Rhonda had a lot weighing on her but found herself inspired with hope after listening to Mr. R. share about his life and blessings. He reminded her that despite loss and hardships, there is much joy and happiness that is scattered throughout our days and years that help carry us through the valleys. And sometimes our prayers are answered in a way that is even better than what we asked for.

A week later, Rhonda called Mr. R. to check in on him. He was surprised that she called. He shared he was feeling better and was able to have the special service for his wife. He told Rhonda he really appreciated her following up and even though she was not in-person, she had made a difference by just listening to him.

Caring for our patients and families every step of the way IS the BCN Way. It takes many hands to make that happen. Support Center employees like Rhonda play an integral role in helping patients and families navigate to get the support they need. Hospice care is about helping the patient and their loved ones, yet every BCN team member also can receive the emotional benefit of delivering that care every day. We often hear staff and volunteers say, “I receive way more than I give.” For Rhonda, it was her day to receive.

Frozen on Broadway

As a social worker with our Bright Path program, Brittany Anderson assists families of our pediatric palliative patients with the physical, emotional, and social issues that come from dealing with a serious illness. But when she received word that one of our Bright Path patients, Makenzie, needed her spirits lifted with a fun and exciting experience, she knew exactly how to help make this a reality for Makenzie.

Each year, Brittany’s family selects a charity to support with a combined gift from the entire family. Brittany passionately made her case for supporting our Bright Path program to her family, and knowing how important our patients are to her, they unanimously decided that Bright Path was the cause they would support.

Her family’s combined donation was enough to be able to purchase tickets for Makenzie and her mom to watch Frozen on Broadway in Cincinnati. Frozen is one of Makenzie’s favorite movies, so Brittany knew this would be the perfect experience for her. With her special pink dress and “Frozen” blue nails that were painted by her nurse, Makenzie got to experience her favorite movie come to life on the stage.

“I haven’t seen her smile that much in years,” Makenzie’s mom said after the performance. Thanks to Brittany’s family, and her Bright Path team, Makenzie was able to have a perfect night to remember.

Bright Path is a unique program at Bluegrass Care Navigators that provides pediatric palliative care to seriously ill children and adolescents. Bright Path surrounds the families with a team of experts who work together to support the whole family while developing a personalized plan of care for the patient.

If you would like to help provide support for these young patients and their families, you can make a donation here: bgcarenav.org/bright-path

THANK YOU

We are tremendously grateful for the amazing support that our communities in Eastern Kentucky provide us through our annual Radio Day events in London, Pikeville, and Hazard again this year. At each event, we were joined by special guests, ranging from BCN employees to patient family members, and community partners. A big thanks goes out to our radio partners, Kool Gold 96.7, Q95 95.5, and WSGS 101.1, for hosting us again this year!

A special thank you goes to everyone who tuned in and supported our Hazard Radio Day, which helped raise money for the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund, and to those who supported BCN.

Bluegrass PACE Care Enrolls Kentucky’s First PACE Participants!

This summer marked a milestone for the commonwealth as Bluegrass Care Navigators enrolled some of Kentucky’s first PACE Care participants. PACE stands for “Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly” and is a Medicare and Medicaid program that provides comprehensive health care services, allowing a person to continue living in the community safely.

The goal of Bluegrass PACE Care is to meet individuals in the community where they are, and to focus on allowing them to age in place. By incorporating a holistic approach, this program looks at health care disparities in addition to traditional health care. Part of the PACE model of care considers things such as transportation and food security, as well as housing or lodging, to ensure that the individual’s well-being is best accommodated.

In this unique model of care, Bluegrass Care Navigators serves as both the provider and health insurer for individuals who qualify for the program. PACE assumes financial responsibility for an individual’s healthcare needs, which means that eligible participants will not have any monthly deductibles.

How it Works:

When you enroll in PACE, your care is coordinated by our dedicated health care team, to help you maintain independence in your own home. Our experts connect you with all aspects of the care and support you need, including everyday tasks. We bring care to you at home or at the PACE Center, and there are no copayments or deductibles if you qualify – services are 100 percent covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

The physician at Bluegrass PACE Care will become your primary care doctor. Participation in a PACE program means that the PACE program provides all your health care. All nonemergency care, including primary care and specialist services, must be provided by the program or by an in-network partner.

To be eligible for Bluegrass PACE Care, you must:

• Be 55 or older

• Live in the service area of the PACE organization: Fayette, Jessamine, Woodford, Franklin, and Anderson counties

• Have complex health needs

• Be able to safely live in the community with help from PACE

Learn more about Bluegrass PACE Care bgcarenav.org/pace

Providing Relief to Caregivers

With a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or Dementia, family members often face years of serving as personal caregivers to loved ones. Many times, this is 24/7 care and comes with few opportunities for time off. Bluegrass Care Navigators recently initiated our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program to assist these caregivers as they navigate supporting their loved one, providing caregivers with the resources and relief they desperately need.

For Gail and her husband Dana, this program “has been a true blessing.” The last five years have been filled with health challenges for both Dana and Gail. Dana was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and began developing symptoms of dementia. In addition to being a caregiver for her husband during this time, Gail has been battling a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer. For the first few years, she had been able to manage her own treatments through medication, but in November of 2021, Gail found herself needing to start chemotherapy treatments.

Due to COVID, Dana has been unable to join her in the treatment room, and between doctor visits and treatments, Gail could sometimes spend up to eight hours at a time out of the house:

“I FELT SO MUCH ANXIETY before joining this program with Bluegrass Care Navigators. It is one thing to have church family and friends to help for a couple of hours, but it’s a whole other thing to ask them to stay for eight hours.”

Since joining our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Program, Gail has been able to take advantage of the respite care that is available to program participants, free of charge. For 20 hours a month, a home health aide will spend the day with Dana, taking care of all his needs, and allowing Gail to focus on her own health and wellbeing without the burden of worrying about her husband. “The care and compassion provided to my husband is such a relief, and it gives me peace of mind knowing that he is being taken care of when I’m not there,” Gail said.

“With both of us being compromised in some way, it has been a true blessing to have this help. Without this program, navigating both of our diagnoses would be far more stressful, and the financial burden that comes with paying for additional caregivers would have caused us to start depleting our retirement savings. With BCN, it’s a simple phone call, and I know we’ll be in good hands,” said Gail.

Your support helps make it possible for caregivers like Gail to experience relief and respite as they navigate the stressful and challenging illnesses of loved ones. Thank you so much for being a part of our Caring Community!

Our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program is actively enrolling participants. For more information about this program, visit www. bgcarenav.org/transitional-care-dementia-program.

Learn about our free Dementia program for caregivers, those who live alone, and individuals with developmental disabilities.

bgcarenav.org/transitional-caredementia-program

Bluegrass Extra Care

Bluegrass Home Primary Care

Bluegrass Adult Day Health Care

Bluegrass Transitional Care

Bluegrass Palliative Care

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Best Places to Work in Kentucky Award!

For the second year in a row, Bluegrass Care Navigators ranked in the top ten large companies as a Best Place to Work in Kentucky.

BCN ranked #6 overall among entities in the large company category with more than 500 employees, an improvement from 2021’s ranking of #9. The selection process, managed by Best Companies Group, is based on an assessment of the company’s employee policies and procedures and the results of an internal employee survey.

“Our work does not happen without the dedication of a team who lives our values every day, for every patient,” said CEO Liz Fowler. “We have earned this designation for another year because our team has built a culture of compassion, respect, dignity and teamwork.”

The employee survey covers many factors of workplace satisfaction including leadership and planning, relationships with supervisors, work environment, corporate culture and communication, role satisfaction, training and development, and pay and benefits.

fantastic team

of #TeamBCN!

Learn more about our current openings.

bgcarenav.org/careers