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2014
CALL (970) 352-8487 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR VISIT WWW.HOSPICEOFNORTHERNCOLORADO.ORG
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National Hospice Palliative Care Month November 2014 Turns out even when you’re dying, there can be a lot of living to do. We’re showing the world how hospice makes more meaningful moments possible for patients, caregivers and families. See their stories at momentsoflife.org
(970) 352-8487
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To Our Community One of the most important life lessons hospice work has taught me is to always be grateful and gracious. Knowing that tomorrow is not promised, I think it’s important to take every opportunity to let those around us know we appreciate them. With November being National Hospice Month, I want to take this time to tell our community supporters how much we value you. To all of our colleagues, our friends, our volunteers, our patients and their families thank you for your ongoing support of this agency. This year, Hospice of Northern Colorado celebrated its 36th year of operation. The reason we have been able to celebrate yet another successful year is because of this community and all of you. Each year, Hospice of Northern Colorado has been able to advance its mission of providing quality end-of-life care to more than 600 patients and their families. During 2014, we have found hospice care in the midst of the ever-changing healthcare environment. We are faced with stiff competition, rising costs of providing services, limited and decreased funding, and policy changes. These factors certainly impact our agency, but your support allows us to continue to remain committed to making a difference in nonprofit hospice and palliative care. On behalf of all of us at Hospice of Northern Colorado, I would like to thank you for your commitment to supporting your local nonprofit hospice provider. We look forward to yet another year of supporting the communities in Weld, Morgan and Larimer Counties. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! Sincerely, Cynthia Werner Executive Director
National Hospice Month | November 2014
Hospice of Northern Colorado Helps Patients and Families Focus on
Quality of Life
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, and Hospice of Northern Colorado is raising awareness about the highest quality care for people coping with life-limiting illnesses. Hospice care is more than traditional healthcare. Hospice and palliative care programs provide pain management, symptom control, psychosocial support, and spiritual care to patients and their families when a cure is not possible. Hospice and palliative care combines the highest level of quality medical care with the emotional and spiritual support that patients and families need most when facing the end of life. Through this specialized quality care, we see many patients and their families experience more meaningful moments together. Hospice helps them focus on living despite a terminal diagnoses. Throughout the month of November, Hospice of Northern
Colorado hopes to create an understanding of how important hospice and palliative care can be while clarifying some of the many misconceptions there are regarding hospice and palliative care.
on the amount of time a patient may continue to receive hospice services. »Quality care at the end of life is very expensive. Medicare beneficiaries pay little or nothing for hospice. For those ineligible for Medicare, most insurance plans, HMO’s, and managed care plans cover hospice care. Additionally, Hospice of Northern Colorado never turns anyone away in need of end-of-life care, due to lack of ability to pay for service.
Here are some of the most common misconceptions:
»If I chose hospice care, I have to leave my home. Hospice care is provided wherever the patient calls home: in his or her own house or a family member’s, a nursing home, or an assisted living facility. Hospice is also provided in our Inpatient Care Center on the 5th floor of North Colorado Medical Center.
»Hospice is where you go when there is nothing more a doctor can do. Hospice is care designed for patients with a life-limiting illness. Hospice is not where you go to die; rather hospice professionals are trained to assist patients in living their lives fully, completely and without pain until the end of their lives.
»Families are not able to care for people with life limiting illnesses. Family members are encouraged, supported and trained by hospice professionals to care for their loved ones. Hospice staff is on call to the patient and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, to help family and friends care for their loved ones.
»To be eligible for hospice, I have to be in the final stages of dying. Hospice patients and families receive care for an unlimited amount of time, depending upon the course of the illness. There is no fixed limit
»Hospice is just for the elderly. Hospice is for anyone facing a life-limiting illness, regardless of age. »After the patient’s death, hospice care ends. Bereavement services and grief support are available to family members for up to 13 months after the death of a patient at no cost.
For more information regarding hospice and palliative care services visit us at www.HospiceOfNorthernColorado.org or call us at (970) 352-8487
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Hospice of Northern Colorado Community Therapy Memorial Garden Reveal
A Daughters
Love
Remembering Those We Loved and Lost
For many, the death of a loved one can be one of the most significant events encountered in a lifetime. We know it is important for a grieving individual to feel all the emotions that arise from grief, as painful as it may be. Grief has no timetable. Emotions may come and go for weeks, months or even years. No two people grieve the same and what works well for some may not satisfy the needs of others. At Hospice of Northern Colorado, we strive to provide a wide spectrum of therapies to help alleviate the pain of loss. We know the traditional group and individual therapy sessions work for many individuals but for some, simple reflection helps heal. Spending time outside has been proven to positively affect a person’s emotions. Nature helps improve a person’s overall well-being and for that reason, Hospice of Northern Colorado is excited to announce 4
the expansion of our grounds to now include a Therapeutic Memorial Garden! Hospice of Northern Colorado recognized a need for grieving families throughout our community to memorialize their loved ones. The idea behind this project was to create a therapeutic space, which families could access at any time, which would allow for reflection and healing. To keep the garden affordable for our families, HNC worked to keep costs down, passing the savings along to donors. Personalized memorial bricks are now available and are priced at $40 for a 6”x6” and $60 for a 6”x9”. Additionally, the space includes a Memorial Rose Garden. Families of lost loved ones are given the opportunity to come and plant their memorial rose bush. To personalize their specific rose bush, HNC allows families to include a small time capsule to plant underneath their bush that includes
letters or pictures of their lost loved ones. Rose Bushes are priced at $80 each and are still available for purchase. This project was made possible due in large part to a generous grant we received from the Colorado Garden Foundation. Proceeds from the Therapy Memorial Garden project will help support Hospice of Northern Colorado’s programs and services. The Therapy Memorial Garden will be an ongoing project.
To order your brick or rose bush please contact Mandi McIntyre, Development Director at (970) 352-8487 or mmcintyre@hpcnc.org.
When Suyapa talks about caring for her mother, Eva, her face lights up. Suyapa describes Eva as a great mother who is very sweet, friendly and funny. Eva is 93 and has been a hospice patient for a little over two years. Eva is originally from San Luis, Honduras and is the mother of three children. She moved to Colorado in 1991 where she has spent the last 23 years living throughout northern Colorado. Suyapa is now Eva’s primary caregiver and has done a phenomenal job caring for her mother in her final years. Suyapa learned her exceptional caregiving skills through her mother Eva. Suyapa grew up watching Eva care for her aging grandparents. Eva took care of her parents until her father was 103 and her mother was 93. They passed the same day within 6 hours of one another. Although caregiving can be difficult, Suyapa feels as though she has received the support she needs through Eva’s hospice team. “Before when my mom wasn’t in hospice it would worry me at night. Now that she is in hospice, I can sleep through the night. I know I can call hospice 24 hours a day if something goes wrong and they will be here to help me.” Suyapa says. Eva is currently being seen by a hospice nurse, certified nurses assistant (CNA), chaplain and social worker. She is also receiving complimentary massage and music therapy. Eva loves the music therapy and will move her feet along to the beat. One of the biggest comforts Hospice of Northern Colorado provides Suyapa, is our service allows her to care for her mother in the comforts of her home. We provide her with all of the medications, medical equipment and support to give her the confidence to know she is keeping Eva comfortable. “Hospice is excellent. Everything about it is the best. Its so nice having the nurses come to check on mom so we don’t have to take her to the hospital. We are lucky to have hospice.” Suyapa says. National Hospice Month | November 2014
Colorado Gives Day is December 9 “Give Where you Live”
Tuesday, December 9 will mark the 5th year for Colorado Gives Day. Colorado Gives Day is an initiative to increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. In addition to fundraising, Colorado Gives Day raises awareness of the state’s nonprofit sector. For a 24-hour period, on Tuesday December 9, Coloradoans can donate to their favorite nonprofit organizations online through the Community First Foundation. Thanks to Community First Foundation and First Bank, Colorado Gives Day 2014 features a $1 Million Incentive Fund, one of the largest gives-day incentive funds in the country. Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day receives a portion of the incentive fund, which increases the value of every dollar donated. For example, if Hospice of Northern Colorado receives 10 percent of the total donations made on Colorado Gives Day, Hospice of Northern Colorado also receives 10 percent of the $1 Million Incentive Fund. On December 9 we encourage you to “Give Where you Live” and donate to your favorite Weld County based
organization. Please remember Hospice of Northern Colorado when choosing the recipient of your gift. Hospice of Northern Colorado is the oldest nonprofit hospice in northern Colorado. Established in 1978, we have served the communities of Weld, Morgan and Larimer counties for 36 years. We have touched the lives of more than 22,000 individuals in our community. Since our inception, we have never turned away a qualified hospice patient due to lack of ability to pay. Your contribution allows us to assist those in need without the ability to pay for service. In the last 5 years, Hospice of Northern Colorado has provided more than $1 million in uncompensated care to your friends, family members and neighbors. On December 9 visit: www.ColoradoGives. org/HospiceNorthernColorado to donate!
We appreciate your support! On December 9 visit:
www.ColoradoGives.org/HospiceNorthernColorado to donate!
Jack’s Place
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We have appreciated being partners with Hospice of Northern Colorado to support the use of Jack’s Place over the past 7 years.
End of life is a very tender time, filled with many decisions to be made. As a former Hospice of Northern Colorado Social Worker, Greg, along with his wife Linda, understand the emotions and tasks you are faced with, and would be honored to help you with any Real Estate needs you may have.
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Hospice of Northern Colorado’s Animal Assisted Therapy is a complimentary therapy offered to our patients and their families. Our program began in the early 90s and is still a benefit we offer to our hospice patients. Our HosPaws Program currently includes four dogs: Kwincey, Brutus, Monte and Annie. Each dog underwent several weekends of intensive training, and all of them are certified by Therapy Dogs, Inc. They were taught skills like how to walk next to wheelchairs, walkers and crutches or how to lie gently next to a patient in bed. More
importantly, these dogs are trained on how to provide comfort, love and companionship to our hospice patients. Over the years, our HosPaws animals have helped our patients and their families through the end stages of life. Our therapy dogs sense changes in our patients as they near death. Signs can include a change in breathing or restlessness. If requested, our therapy dogs are available to provide comfort to patient as they near the end-of-life. Our animals can soothe the patient’s families as well. Hospice of Northern Colorado knows these animals can enhance a person’s quality of life. Many of our patients feel as if they have lost control of certain aspects of their lives, as they near of the end of their journey. Simple things like walking a dog or giving them commands empower them once again. Some patients will talk to the animals sharing their feelings or fears, isolation or loneliness. Patients are given an opportunity to talk through the dog to help them control their anxiety. These dogs can even help family members deal with their feelings. An animal’s love is unconditional; they are wonderful listeners and pass no judgment. There are many emotional and physical benefits that interaction with an animal can provide. These benefits include lessening depression, improving communication, lowering anxiety, encouraging relaxation, lowering blood pressure, diminishing physical pain and increasing joint movement. Our HosPaws animals visit patients in their homes, assisted living facilities, long term care facilities or in our Inpatient Care Center. Each year our HosPaws program cares for more than 15 patients, providing visits nearly twice a month. Our animals love the attention and look forward to their visits.
If you would like more information on how to get involved with our HosPaws program please call Jessie Ericson, Volunteer Coordinator at (970) 352-8487.
Congratulations to Hospice of Northern Colorado during Hospice and Palliative Care month.
Thank you for your continued dedication to the people and communities you serve.
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National Hospice Month | November 2014
Hospice of Northern Colorado Family Brings Hospice Services Around the World
When you sit down with Ben Yarbo, a Hospice of Northern Colorado bereaved family member and volunteer of the Belize Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation, you can see his passion for caring for the dying goes way beyond a mission. His hospice journey began at just 34 years old. Ben’s wife, Valerie Yarbo, was diagnosed with a terminal form of stage 4 breast cancer in October of 2008.
Ben recalls the first thing Valerie said to him when they received the news, “She turned to me and said we are going to Ireland and getting a dog.” Following her diagnosis, Valerie was admitted to the Hospice of Northern Colorado Hospice Care Program. As Valerie’s main caregiver, Ben experienced caregiver fatigue first hand. “I learned caregiving is exhausting. There were very few resources for me.” Ben said. When Valerie passed in December of 2009, Ben thought his life would end with hers. He went through an intense grief process and in 2012 he knew
something had to change. He took a trip to Belize for 10 days. Upon his return to Colorado, he felt a calling to return to Belize. Through inspiration from a friend, he knew what he needed to do. Ben sold everything he owned, left on August 9, 2012 with a one way ticket to Belize and a mission to help other caregivers and promote hospice care. As Ben spent more time in Belize, it became very obvious that the medical care system is not adequate for hospice or palliative care. Prior to 2003, Belize had no painkillers such as morphine. Ben began working with Dr. Beatriz Thompson, co-founder of the Belize Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation. Since they had no long-term pain meds and no funding, Dr. Thompson would ask women from church to go dying patients’ homes to sing or pray for them and provide them with clean beds. Eventually Dr. Thompson was successful in convincing the government to bring in a synthetic pain medication out of Germany, but they had a very limited supply. The Belize Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation is a 100% volunteer run organization that consists of 40 to 50 adult volunteers and 10 to 15 youth volunteers. They offer hospice and palliative services
where it would otherwise not exist. Belize possesses no inpatient hospice facility so all care is done in the patients’ homes by families, friends and volunteers. The foundation does have two volunteer medical doctors who assess patient needs and provided the necessary supplies as they become available. With no government or church sponsorships, all of the supplies used by the Belize Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation come from donors. In addition to supporting hospice and palliative services, Ben began the first Caregiver Support Group and a Grief Share Support Group. The whole idea of support groups was unheard of in Belize, but he is optimistic about the culture embracing the concept. He is currently working on creating a Caribbean retreat for caregivers and families who have been affected by a terminal illness. If you are interested in helping provide donations or support they are in greatest need of adult diapers, milk, gauze, medical equipment, catheters and wound management supplies. To make a donation or for questions regarding the Belize Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation, you can contact Ben Yarbo directly at caregiverrenew@gmail.com.
Thank you Hospice of Northern Colorado for your service to Weld County!
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