Quality You Can Trust Joint Commission Accredited
Para asistencia en español, indique preferencia al telefonear 3888 Pacific Avenue • Stockton, California 95204-1953 • 24 hr. main-line: (209) 957-3888 • fax: (209) 957-3986 http://www.hospicesj.org
Our Mission
The mission of Hospice of San Joaquin, a not-for-profit organization, is to provide comprehensive medical and compassionate care, counseling and support to terminally ill patients and their families, regardless of ability to pay, and to educate and collaborate with health care providers and the public in promoting quality end-of-life care.
PAID
Permit Nº557 Stockton, CA
Barbara Tognoli Leaves A Legacy
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arbara Tognoli lives a dream, a vision, and a mission to build Hospice of San Joaquin. On February 2010 she will retire leaving a legacy of medical and compassionate care, counseling and support for terminally ill patients and their families. Hospice of San Joaquin’s story begins with humble accommodations in a ‘closet’ at Delta Blood Bank with a folding table and a phone; then, to donated space at Benton Hall, then to a small house on Park Street; next, to the first Hospice Center on Hammer Lane, and, finally to the present Hospice of San Joaquin Center and Hospice House on Pacific Avenue. The dream began in 1981 when Barbara Tognoli arrived to Stockton. “I saw an ad in the Record which read: ‘a new health care agency is seeking a director’.” Tognoli remembers her reaction to the ad, “it must be a hospice —it is long overdue in San Joaquin.” With a background strong in community organizational skills developed in the Bronx, New York City, over 15-years of dedicated service to the church as a nun and with a Masters in Education, she was given an opportunity to live out her passion: to create an organization that would provide the very best medical and nursing care for patients with lifelimiting conditions. Barbara Tognoli’s compas-
Robert T. Browne, MD, Medical Director
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wenty-nine years is a short-time in history, but it allows significant contributions when a dedicated person devotes that time to a mission. It was 1980, when a diverse group of community members —including doctors, nurses, social workers, bankers, lawyers, activists, clergy and business people— learned about hospice services, an evolving discipline which served the specific needs of terminally ill patients. After identifying the many benefits hospice would offer San Joaquin County residents, the group
Officers:
Mark Wallace, President Director of Human Resources, Lodi Memorial Hospital Edward Schroeder, Vice President President & CEO, O’Connor Woods Chris Olin, Secretary Community Volunteer Gayle Riley, R.N. Treasurer Nurse, Healthcare Administrator, Retired
Members:
sion led her to educate and inspire San Joaquin County about hospice services. Her dedication set a vision to ensure that patients receive the right level of care when cure is no longer possible. Throughout the early years, Tognoli along with the founding members, negotiated and borrowed space; but the vision was always on the forefront, “we would have a hospice campus and a hospice house,” affirmed Tognoli. Today after nearly three decades of continuous leadership, her message is clear in the board room, in management and interdisciplinary team meetings and in the halls of Hospice of San Joaquin: “We must find ever-more creative, effective,
and efficient means to serve each and every person who has unaddressed medical, social, emotional or spiritual needs — no terminally-ill patient should suffer in isolation or without the support they deserve.” Barbara Tognoli frequently gives credit to the staff, volunteers, donors and board members for the excellence in service and the growth of the programs over the years. However, everyone engaged in promoting the agency’s mission is reflecting the solid ‘mantra’ of service to the terminally ill and bereaved that Tognoli articulates at every decision point. Mark Wallace, Director of Human Resources at Lodi Memorial Hospital and President of
the Board commends Tognoli’s dedication, “As President of the Board, I am extremely proud of Hospice of San Joaquin and a major driving force for the success is Barbara Tognoli. She is dedicated beyond belief and her passion is immense. As Barbara steps up to a new chapter in her life, her successor will have very large shoes to fill to help Hospice continue to grow and achieve even greater success in the future. Our hats are off to Barbara and wish her much happiness in the years to come. The next phase for Barbara Tognoli? a lively retirement filled with travel, gardening and time to spend with friends. We wish her a full and prosperous retirement.
The Beginning of Hospice of San Joaquin: Dr. Browne Reminisces
Hospice of San Joaquin 3888 Pacific Avenue Stockton, California 95204-1953
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S.POSTAGE
A nonprofit agency serving the community since 1982 Hospice is governed by a community Board of Directors and is recognized as a 501 (c) (3) organization. Hospice of San Joaquin is licensed by the State of California as a Hospice Agency and is certified by the Centers for MediCare and Medi-Cal Services to provide the Hospice Medicare/ Medi-Cal Benefit. The Joint Commission of Accreditation of Health Care Agencies (JCAHO) has accredited Hospice of San Joaquin, most recently in May 2008. For more information or referral, call (209) 957-3888.
A dream, A vision, A mission…
Board of Directors
chose to establish Hospice of San Joaquin. Among the many challenges the newly formed agency faced were finding an office, establishing a team and most importantly, hiring the right executive director. Several candidates applied for the job, some business minded and well-educated, but none with any experience in running a Hospice. During the interviews we learned that a community organizer from New York sailed into town and she was coming to interview. She talked about her vision and her passion; we knew there was no need to search further. Barbara Tognoli was the right candidate and became the first executive director. I am sure none of the founding board members realized the capacity of Barbara. We clearly saw her passion, dedication and
discipline. However, none of us ever imagined that her vision would develop an organization like few others in the world. Sure, at the time we had a local hospital with a “hospice” ward, but establishing a not-for-profit agency serving terminally ill patients, and their families, without a fee for the health care service, was unheard of. This new approach was innovative as Barbara Tognoli motivated the interest in a broad range of residents including used car sales groups, motorcycle clubs, and even the formation of a new club —the Butterfly Auxiliary. Barbara’s vision attracted interest to San Joaquin County. Programs from other cities across the state, some across the nation and even international programs have benchmarked Barbara’s hospice ideas. We, as
a founding board, learned from her as we looked for guidance and inspiration. She proved that care should never be about patient numbers but rather about their quality of care and quality of life. Her advocacy demonstrated that the right level of care for terminally ill patients should include a comprehensive care plan embracing the patient, as well as the family. 29-years later, Barbara Tognoli sets sail to retire. She leaves behind a strongly-founded system that ensures quality of life for residents of San Joaquin County. She arrived with a “boxful of puzzle pieces” and leaves with the admiration and respect of her community. We will miss you dearly, but we realize that you have other visions to pursue. Sail on, Good Lady, sail on!
Jacqueline Bagatta, R.N., M.S.N. Deputy Director, San Joaquin General Hospital Scott Beattle, Esq. Calone Law Group Phyllis Berger, Esq. Professor Humphrey’s Law School Jack L. Gilliland, M.D. Retired, Kaiser Permanente Pediatrician Lynne Davis Davis & Associates Insurance Brokers Patricia Erardi, Community Volunteer Richard Ghio, CPA Instructor, San Joaquin Delta College Stephen Guasco, Director Managed Care Catholic Healthcare West Gary Giannini Schwartz, Giannini, Lantsberger & Adamson, CPA’s P e t e G o r m s e n , C PA , DeGregori, Gormsen, Ringer, LLP Deitra Kenoly Advertising Director, The Record Chris McCaffrey Vice President, Morgan Stanley Diane Park Fund Development Consultant Danae Sharp, R.N. N u r s i n g S u p e r v i s o r, Dameron Hospital Barbara A. Tognoli Executive Director and Member of the Board
Support Personnel Robert T. Browne, M.D. Medical Director James Saffier, M.D. Staff Physician Mobin Ghavami, M.D. Staff Physician Gail E. Wigley, RN D i r e c t o r, C l i n i c a l Services Jo Paganini, MSW, Director, Social Services Steve Parsons Director, Operations / Finance Barbara A. Pombo Director, Development Gene Acevedo Director, Community Outreach and Public Relations Audrey Wuerl, RN, BSN Education Coordinator Becky Freeman Volunteer Coordinator Carrie M. Vanderkar Bereavement Coordinator Patty A. Rieber Human Resource Manager Leo Ronquillo Information Systems Manager Carolyn Gomes Annual Gifts & Events Coordinator
From the desk of the Director “You had me from the first, ‘Hello’.”
This is how I sum up my feelings about my career with Hospice of San Joaquin. I can recall my introduction in 1981. A search committee of four pro-active community members invited me to interview for the position of Executive Director for this fledgling hospice effort. No local model was available to replicate. There was no history to build upon. There was no address to identify a hospice entity. But as the interview unfolded, I realized we had the same values, beliefs and dreams for a program that would provide a specialized, skilled and compassionate way to care for terminally ill patients and their families. I was hired and in a few months Hospice of San Joaquin provided the first hospice services in our community. (See my article on page 3 for history) And now I have to say, “Goodbye”. Goodbye to the daily tasks detailed in the job description of the Executive Director, but never goodbye to the mission and passion for hospice; never goodbye to the staff, volunteers and community who supported me over twenty nine years and helped me lead Hospice of San Joaquin to where it is today. I consider myself one of the most blessed people in the world, because I was given this opportunity to use my skills to create something so much more than myself. I have been surrounded by love, support and respect. I have been very fortunate to have Boards of Directors who have been leaders and listeners; who believed in the mission of hospice and proved it by their hard work. I have been equally fortunate to have had an enthusiastic partnership with so many dedicated staff and volunteers over the years. Our hospice staff is unique in the world of human services. A poster in our hospice office simply but forcefully states, “Hospice workers are not hired; they are called.” Our board, staff, volunteers and a supportive community have built the premier reputation now held by Hospice of San Joaquin. We are the number one provider of specialized, skilled and compassionate hospice care in our community. Many of you knew that my husband, Ron, was the “wind beneath my wings” during my hospice career. He shared my passionate belief in the hospice mission and was always there for me when I needed him. He was the source of my strength, my mentor and my touchstone for measuring what was right and ethical in every decision I had to make. Ron became a hospice patient in 2007. During the final months of his life his admiration for hospice came full circle back to him. The hospice care he had always believed in and supported became his support and his faithful companion until he died. This was the greatest gift Hospice of San Joaquin could have ever given me. I want to assure everyone that I am retiring with a happy heart and a number of dreams to fulfill. I am leaving Hospice of San Joaquin under the excellent direction of a dedicated board and staff and look forward to seeing our hospice grow to a higher level of performance and expanded services. I leave a hospice that is loved by the community, financially stable and recognized as a critical link in the health care services within San Joaquin County. Many issues have challenged hospice care over the years and will continue to do so. Public policy, including regulatory and legislative issues, as well as access and public awareness are a few of these challenges. The Board of Directors is recruiting and will identify and hire a new Executive Director to lead hospice and to meet these challenges with courage and commitment.
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n February, after 29 years of service as the founding Executive Director of Hospice of San Joaquin, I will be retiring. In this Newsletter article I would like to reflect on the history and the milestones that marked the development of Hospice of San Joaquin since we started our services in the community.
BEGINNINGS
To d a y H o s p i c e o f S a n Joaquin is “light” years from where it was in 1981. A borrowed storage room housed our first desk and phone. Volunteers served on the first hospice care team. Twenty-nine years later, and five locations later, Hospice of San Joaquin has a state-ofthe-art hospice campus and one of the first Hospice Houses in California. Our hospice services are recognized as being a critical link in the healthcare delivery system in San Joaquin County. We started our hospice program serving 5 patients with 16 volunteers. Today we care for over 1200 patients a year with a staff of 85 and over a 100 volunteers. Our care is delivered in homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living homes and in our Hospice House. The mission then, and now, remains the same. The mission of Hospice of San Joaquin, a not-for-profit organization is to provide: medical and compassionate care, counseling and support to terminally ill patients and their families, regardless of ability to pay and to educate and collaborate with health care providers and the public in promoting quality end-of-life care.
GRASSROOTS MOVEMMENT
In 1980 a group of community volunteers led by Marilyn Balch, RN, Karen Hansen, MSW, Lois Erickson, RN, and Anita Porter, RN came together to review the need and the possibility of starting a hospice program in San Joaquin County. Their energy was driven by the reality that terminally ill patients who had exhausted curative treatment and were discharged from the hospital found themselves on their own. The patient’s family became responsible for all home care: nursing, aide assistance, managing medical equipment, oxygen, medications and the doctor’s orders. This complicated medical care was overwhelming; the desire and the plan fell apart within days of the patient and family arriving home. Without an organized support system, patients and families would continue to be abandoned at the most critical time in life.
Some people have asked me, “How did you bring hospice to where it is today?” My answer is very simple. I was passionate about the mission, I never let quality suffer for quantity, and I have surrounded myself with people who share the same belief. I got up every morning, put one foot in front of the other, and never stopped moving ahead. As my final words in my career, I would like to use the words of a gifted local musician and song writer, Tamara Little, who teaches at UOP. A few years ago Tamara heard me speak about a six year child who was our hospice patient. This child told his hospice team he had two simple wishes to fulfill before he died: pet a horse and play in his Sunday shoes. A year later Tamara informed me that she had written a song based on this story, entitled, “Sunday Shoes” and it was included on her recently released CD. This song was exquisite. However, there was another song on her CD that captured what I felt about my hospice career and I would like to use these words as my final message and advice. “How do you climb a Mountain? One step at a time. Start at the bottom and begin to climb. Well, there are no secrets I am holding back; it is as simple as that. If you step up on pride, get ready to fall. If you step up on greed, you will lose it all. If you step up on your friend, your plan will fall apart. If you step up on hate, you will never be able to start. How do you climb a Mountain? One step at a time. Start at the bottom and begin to climb. If you step up on compassion, it will ease the task. If you step up on respect, it will always hold fast. If you step up to help your friends, they will catch youwhen you fall. If you step up on love, you will climb with no effort at all.” Late to the Party Album: Tamara Little
Barbara Tognoli
HOSPICE OF SAN JOAQUIN
Past To The Future
care and confirmed our success. Hospice of San Joaquin was here to stay.
BENTON HALL
In 1983 through the support of Barbara Richards, MSW and the planning of Administrators Mike Smith and Jerry Arnell, Hospice of San Joaquin was able to relocate from the Blood Bank storage room to two small rooms in Benton Hall on the grounds of San Joaquin General Hospital. Still cramped for space we continued to hold our Interdisciplinary Care Team meetings, training sessions and board meetings in various loca1994. Barbara Tognoli announces tions throughout the county. We met in churches, banks, librarthe winner of a raffle of a vehicle donated to Hospice of San Joaquin. ies and other agency’s conference rooms. This added to the workload because each meeting demanded that books, papers and meeting items be transferred to the meeting site and then brought back to the office.
UNITED WAY INCLUSION
Our acceptance as a United Way Agency in 1984 allowed us to take our message into businesses and corporations. They, in turn, became our greatest supporters through word of mouth and through their increased participation in the United Way Andy Prokop, President of United Campaign. Today we remain the Way San Joaquin talks with Barbara United Way participating orgaTognoli at the 2008 Power of One.
President George Bush Sr. recognizes Hospice of San Joaquin as the 182nd United States Daily Point of Light in 1992
1982. Barbara Tognoli receives a donation from Ray Glover, President of the San Joaquin County Independent Auto Dealers Association of California.
PILOT PROJECT
By January of 1982, we were ready to admit the first patients to our hospice program. Doctors Robert Browne and John Morozumi became our physician champions. Dr. Browne volunteered to be our Medical Director, a volunteer position
JOINT COMMISSION ACCREDITATION
In 1985 Hospice of San Joaquin was the first community hospice in the Central Valley to receive the triennial accreditation by the Joint Commission and we continue to be the only hospice accredited in the Central Valley by participating in this comprehensive clinical review. This stringent accreditation process assures the community that our medical, nursing and management programs are measured against the highest standards of healthcare throughout the United States.
SIERRA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION GRANT
With hospice services relatively new in California, Hospice of San Joaquin submitted a proposal to the Sierra Healthcare Foundation to receive a grant to underwrite an analysis of the medical support system for patients who were diagnosed with a terminal illness in San Joaquin County. This study was published and afforded insights into networking possibilities and shared resources in our local healthcare community.
MEDICARE CERTIFICATION AND LICENSING
In 1989 the Board of Directors did extensive research and soul searching and made the decision to have our hospice certified to provide the Medicare/Medi-Cal Hospice Benefit. They realized that Hospice of San Joaquin was at a critical cross-roads in its development. Volunteers and donations could no longer meet the financial underpinnings necessary for the growth and extensive medical resources needed for hospice services. Without Hospice participating in a larger reimbursement plan, we would not be able to continue. However, even with this new business plan, the Board renewed its original commitment to the community: Hospice of San Joaquin services would continue to be provided without charge to patients or their families, regardless of eligibility for Medicare and/or Medi-cal benefits
CORE SERVICES
INCORPORATION
And so the recruitment for board members began. The founding board organized and began the process of obtaining a non-profit, corporation status. In October 1981, I was hired as the first Executive Director to complete the incorporation and to establish a comprehensive hospice program in our community. From October through December of that year, I recruited clinical and lay volunteers to comprise the first hospice interdisciplinary care team. I began writing policies and procedures to guide and formulize this new level of medical care; the founding board members worked equally as hard, disseminating information through the community and organizing fund raising events.
workers, home health aides, and volunteer coordinator, administration and supplies. Our Interdisciplinary Patient Care and Board meetings were held in the living room during the day. In the evening, Bereavement support groups used the same room for their meetings. The bathroom doubled as our library where all the clinical books and journals were shelved. We stored all our disposable medical supplies, including chux and diapers, in the half basement. This was a good use of space until our first, big rain storm. Then the entire basement became covered with water and our massive supply of diapers absorbed almost all of it. We had to discard these water soaked supplies, now all weighing 5 times more than when we started.
Dr. Peter Tuxen, Dr. Robert Browne (center) and Barbara Tognoli at the first Hosice of San Joaquin gala dinner in the early 1980s.
he continues to hold to this very day. We initiated a pilot project to serve five patients and families, each residing in a different area of the County; each with a different physician. In March we evaluated our pilot project. We had achieved our goal of providing skilled nursing and compassionate care to these patients and families. We were able to meet their nursing needs and to empower them to spend their last months of life at home surrounded by everything and everyone they loved. Physicians collaborated with our plans of
nization in San Joaquin County receiving the highest number of designated gifts, which is the choice of the employee-donor.
430 E PARK STREET
In 1985 Mike and Joan Heffernan offered Hospice the use of a two story home located at 430 E. Park Street for the minimal rent of $1.00 a year. This was a palace. We packed ourselves and our belongings into every bit of space. The former master bedroom housed five desks for nurses; two smaller bed rooms became the home for our social
The Medicare Hospice Benefit required that Hospice of San Joaquin directly provide the core services of physician direction, nursing, social work, counseling, aide services and on-call staffing. Certification also required that we would contract for inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility placement, pharmaceuticals, therapies, durable medical equipment and medical supplies; all available 24-hours 7-days a week. We were able to accomplish and meet these comprehensive conditions of participation and in September of 1990 Hospice of San Joaquin received its license and certification. Because of this achievement, Kaiser Permanente-Stockton selected Hospice of San Joaquin to be the contracted provider of hospice services for their enrollees, both commercial and Medicare.
POINT OF LIGHT RECOGNITION
In 1990 Hospice of San Joaquin received national recognition for its volunteer services by being selected as the first organization in Northern California and the 182nd in
Join Barbara Tognoli in Building a Legacy of Compassionate Care In 2006 when Hospice of San Joaquin formed the Legacy League to recognize those who have remembered the agency in their estate plans, Barbara Tognoli wrote in an open letter: “I have personally named Hospice of San Joaquin as a beneficiary in my estate planning. I am sharing this in the hope that you will join with me to insure that Hospice of San Joaquin’s work will continue into the future. I encourage you to join Hospice of San Joaquin’s Legacy League.” In 2009, to further strengthen the future of Hospice of San Joaquin, Barbara again wrote to long-term donors of the agency: “Perhaps, like many of us, you are in the midst of reviewing and adjusting your plans for employment and/or retirement. You may be looking again at your will or trust as you and your family re-evaluate your priorities and your resources. In this important process for your loved ones, may we remind you, ask you, to please include Hospice of San Joaquin
in your considerations.” Barbara Tognoli has served in the position of Hospice’s founding Executive Director since 1981. As Barbara prepares to retire, she invites you to join the Hospice of San Joaquin’s Legacy League. By naming Hospice of San Joaquin as a beneficiary in your will, trust, life insurance, or other estate planning vehicle, you can leave a legacy of compassionate care for those who follow you. Expressing your intention to provide a future gift is as simple as submitting the Legacy League Membership form. Legacy League Membership allows you full control on making your plans known. However, Hospice will appreciate and recognize your future gift by listing you as a Legacy League Member in the Circle of Care Donor Pavilion located in our Hospice Gardens. For more information, call Barbara Pombo, Development Director (209) 957-3888 or go to the website www.hospicesj.org/Donatenow!/Legacy Gifts.
the United States to be named a Daily Point of Light in the President’s Thousand Points of Light National Campaign.
Hospice House was the result of years of well-managed finances and the vision and work of a Board of Directors and staff that saw the need to expand hospice care to include residential hospice care. An Endowment Fund was established in 2006 to assure care in the Hospice House would be funded and available to patients and families far into the future.
BEREAVEMENT SERVICES
In 1990 Hospice expanded its bereavement services and programs to reach beyond our Hospice families. We started community bereavement programs for adults and children, programs for different types of loss, a bereavement school-based program, grief and loss training sessions, individual counseling and support groups. The Hospice of San Joaquin Annual Memorial Service began and is now held each year at University of the Pacific’s Morris Chapel. Because of the continued growth of this program Hospice created a full time bereavement coordinator position to provide leadership and creativity. In 2004 Hospice initiated the first children’s bereavement camp in San Joaquin County, Camp-Caterpillar. This day camp is dedicated to children who have experienced the death of a family member or friend. Camp Caterpillar continues to grow in the number of participants and has an exceptionally high level of volunteer involvement.
Audrey Wuerl, RN, BSN presents at the 2006 Physician Pain Conference
Building Hospice House, Hospice of San Joaquin in 1994
OUR THIRD HOME
The Hospice House opened the avenue for the creation and involvement of the Butterfly Auxiliary whose members dedicated their efforts to create long-term financial support for the Hospice House. Under the leadership of volunteers Sharon Benniger, Shirley Luke and Barbara Galgiani and many other dynamic women, the Butterfly Auxiliary was established. From 2003 to 2009 the Auxiliary have raised over $650,000 exclusively for the support of the Hospice House. Through their outreach efforts and their signature fund raising events, they have captured an entirely new audience, introducing new people to the services of Hospice of San Joaquin and engaging them as ardent supporters.
TRANSITIONS PROGRAM
By 1994, our home at 430 E. Park was slated to be demolished and Hospice of San Joaquin’s services and programs were ready for a permanent location. In 1995 the former Barnett Range building at Hammer Lane and Lorraine Avenue was purchased and became the Hospice of San Joaquin Center for Caring. The building was fully refurbished as the spacious home for over 60 staff and volunteers. This larger location allowed us to continue to expand our services. We were able to offer comprehensive education for patients, families, heath care providers, volunteers and the larger community.
Hospice of san Joaquin’s Butterfly Auxiliary reached the $100,000 dollar annual fundraising goal in 2007.
HOSPICE CAMPUS
TREE OF LIGHTS CAMPAIGN
Twenty-one years ago, with the support of the regional administrator at PG&E, Ernie Boutte, and the president of San Joaquin Delta Community College, Dr. E. Horton, we initiated our annual holiday Tree of Lights fund raising event. Each year volunteers from PG&E led by Mark Rasmussen spend hundreds of hours of difficult and laborious work preparing and stringing thousands of lights on the Delta Tree and the other Hospice Trees in the county. The amount of support we receive through community participation and donations has established Hospice of San Joaquin as having the most successful Tree Lighting event among all hospices in California. This program has been expanded to include a Tree of Lights event in every city in our service area, each supported by the city government and/or a major local business.
HOSPICE HOUSE BUTTERFLY AUXILIARY
Steve Stange, Owner of Pharmacy Care Concepts ensure that patients medications are available 24/7
EDUCATION
Hospice of San Joaquin offers a comprehensive education program for patients, families, health care providers, volunteers and the larger community. Today we have a full-time Clinical Nurse Educator and a Director of Community Outreach who continue to expand these programs and awareness of hospice services throughout the community. Conferences for physicians and health care personnel have been recognized by the health care community as some of the best educational offerings in San Joaquin County. Our Community Outreach department has initiated collaborative relationships throughout the community.
By 2002, our hospice services and programs outgrew our location on Hammer Lane and the newly elected Board of Directors began a two-year plan to relocate and build a permanent campus for the Hospice offices and one of the first Hospice Houses in Northern California and the Central Valley. A capital campaign began and a search committee selected locations that might be best suited for the future of Hospice. The property adjoining the Central Methodist Church across from the University of the Pacific was chosen for construction site of our permanent home. The architect, Tom Bowe of Wenell Mattheis Bowe and Contractor Huff were selected and the dream of having a permanent campus became a reality. In mid 2004 the staff moved into the new building and offices.
HOSPICE HOUSE
In 2004, our Hospice House was completed and licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services. The
Throughout our development Hospice of San Joaquin has been sensitive to the needs of patients and families and has made changes to better serve these needs. Hospice opened its diagnoses criteria to include all terminal illnesses, not only cancer, which had defined hospice programs throughout the United States for many years. We extended our services to patients in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and we built the Hospice House to give patients a “home away from home”. The most recent extension of our hospice services has been our Transitions Program, a program that provides support and clinical direction for patients and families who are undergoing extensive treatment for a diagnosed terminal illness but are not ready for the full hospice program. This pilot project will be evaluated in 2010, and no doubt, will become a key program within Hospice of San Joaquin. I may have missed mentioning other milestones that marked our hospice’s development over the years, but it is not because these were less critical to the present success of Hospice of San Joaquin. Each and every step along the way has made Hospice of San Joaquin what it is today. The passionate belief in the mission of Hospice of San Joaquin and the hard work of thousands of volunteers, staff and community members have made Hospice of San Joaquin beloved in our community and a critical link in our entire health care system.
You Are Invited to
Barbara Tognoli’s, Retirement Celebration Thursday, February 18, 2010 Viaggio Estate & Winery RSVP by Monday, February 8, 2010
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Hospice Awareness is a quarterly newsletter published by Hospice of San Joaquin Located at 3888 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95204 * (209) 957-3888. Gene Acevedo, Director of Community Outreach: Editor Barbara Pombo, Director of Development: Co-Editor Hospice Staff: Article Contributions Roberto Radrigán, G. D., GráficaDesign: Design & Layout Comments, questions, sponsorship opportunities or if you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please contact our office at (209) 957-3888
The Quarter in Review
Stitched with Compassion Groups across the County offer their art and skill and beautiful fabrics to help brighten, warm and comfort patients served by Hospice of San Joaquin. Haute Couture Societe members (top) focusing on fashion design and fine needle arts, take time from learning about and perfecting their art to sew special gowns for patients. These colorful and skillfully designed gowns provide cheer and comfort for those who are bed-bound. Mary Ann Behrens remembers that the pattern for the first gown came from Dr. Robert Browne’s office supply approximately 18 years ago! It has been replicated many hundreds of time over in a kaleidoscope of color and pattern. Tuleburg Quilt Guild (right) provides a unique gift to each patient residing in our Hospice House. Their gift brightens the room, warms the patient and becomes a take-home treasure for many families. Over 650 quilts have been lovingly made by the local quilters and donated since the opening of the Hospice House in 2004. Kids Korner Kids Korner participants (below) made a web of yarn as they took turns sharing their stories, then discussed how they are all connected because all of them lost a loved one.
Calendar Winter 2010 March 8th — 29th, 2010 6:00 pm — 9:00 pm
Volunteer Training
Experience the rewards and satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of others. Contact Becky Freeman, Volunteer Coordinator (209) 957-3888
Thursday, March 18, 2010 5:30 — 7:00 pm
Understanding Your Grief
A free workshop designed to help the newly bereaved understand the journey of grief, determine when professional help is needed, and identifying tools that are key to the healing process.
Contact Carrie LaneVanderkar, Bereavement Coordinator (209) 957-3888 Saturday, March 13, 2010
Kids Korner
A free series of workshops where grieving kids can share, heal and grow in a safe, supportive atmosphere with their peers. Registration open now Contact: Carrie Lane-Vanderkar Bereavement Coordinator (209) 957-3888
Saturday, April 17, 2010 2:00 pm
9th Annual Champagne & English Tea Butterfly Auxiliary, Stockton Chapter Enjoy Champagne and English Tea in a friendly atmosphere full of fun and excitement at Church of the Presentation’s Community Center in Stockton. Proceeds benefit Hospice of San Joaquin’s Hospice House. Purchase your tickets at (209) 922-0380
Saturday, May 1, 2010
2nd Annual Spring Tea in Tracy
Enjoy English Tea in a friendly atmosphere full of fun and excitement at Windmill Ridge Winery. Proceeds benefit Hospice of San Joaquin’s Hospice House. Purchase your tickets at (209) 922-0380