The
JOURNEY
Your life. Your choice. Your Passage.
Celebrating Our Seniors Passages Through Time
Maximizing quality of life for those with dementia
NHPCO Creative Art Contest Good luck to our entrants
Dreams are Ageless
We Honor Veterans
July - August 2013 Contributors:
Providing Quality Care In: Bloomington, IL
404 N. Hershey Road, Ste. A Bloomington, IL 61704 Phone: 309.828.8139 Fax: 309.827.4878
Editorial
Kaitlyn Henderson Kansas Swain
Swansea, IL
16 Bronze Pointe Blvd. Swansea, IL 62226 Phone: 618.234.7078 Fax: 618.257.7266
Art Direction
Carbondale, IL
Carmel, IN
Staff photographers supplied all photos in this newsletter unless otherwise specified.
Lisle, IL
St. Louis, MO
Rockford, IL
Janesville, WI
120 North Tower Rd., Ste. A Carbondale, IL 62901 Phone: 618.490.1040
515 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532 Phone: 630.824.0400 Fax: 630.395.9235
929 S. Alpine Road, Ste. 202 Rockford, IL 61108 Phone: 815.226.7785 Fax: 815.226.7786
Photography
2325 Pointe Parkway, Ste. 110 Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: 317.564.8779
1120 South Sixth Street, Ste. 500 St. Louis, MO 63104 Phone: 314-241-5700 Fax: 314-241-0441
1828 N. Washington St., Ste., 170 Janesville, WI 53548 Phone: 608.531.2212
Anonymous Compliance Hotline 855-366-5093 As part of our continuing commitment to compliance we are encouraging facilities and other partners to use this number if they have a concern.
1 July - August 2013 The Journey
Kamie Freeland
All photographs are property of Passages Hospice and may not be reproduced without permission. Contact pr@passageshospice. com for permission or questions. This issue of The Journey was made available to the public on July 11, 2013 through issuu. View the issue at http://bit.ly/176aIHs
orch T AWARD
Marketplace Ethics
2013 Honorable Mention Trust • Performance • Integrity
Chief Medical Officer Dheeraj Mahajan, MD
Chief Compliance Officer Dan Untch
Chief Marketing Officer
Index: NHPCO Creative Art Contest..................3 We Honor Veterans....................................4
Shelley Johansen
Celebrating our seniors........................5-6
Chief Financial Officer
Passages Through Time............................7
Sandy Szajkovics
Social Services
Passages INTERACT Initiative.................8
Roxxi Davis
Hospice Dreams....................................9-10
Spiritual Care
In the media...............................................11
David Weiss
Clinical Services
Welcome Dr. Dheeraj Mahajan............12
Carmen Velez
Around the town......................................13
Physician and Hospital Services
National Nursing Home Week.............14
Jacob Matich
Palliative Care Emily O’Malley
Public Relations and Foundation Development Kansas Swain
Phone 1-888-741-8985 Toll-free Email info@passageshospice.com Web www.passageshospice.com Connect
National Nurses and CNA Week..........14
NHPCO Creative Arts Contest
Good luck to our entrants in the 2013 Creative Arts contest by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization! The 2013 theme is “Our Team In Action”. Winners will be announced in September and featured in NHPCO communications.
Web of Love Ashley Belue Hospice and Palliative Liaison Central Illinois Region Much the same as a typical spider’s web, death in our culture has the stigma of being viewed as a trap. Just as this spider has attempted to show a greater purpose in his webbing skills, we - as a hospice team - have to show that we’re here to provide a web of support; to celebrate the current phase of life, seeking beauty & dignity in the transition of moving from this side to the other... a path we all must eventually travel.
The Heart of Hospice Laura Blumenstein Registered Nurse Southern Illinois Region As a hospice nurse, I care for each patient’s and their family’s emotional status. I am always in action - caring for my patients with tasks such as charting, vitals, and physical assessment. But the best part of my job is living the hospice philosophy of hope, compassion, and heart with everything I do.
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Congratulations to RN Laura Segelhorst, whose photo “Partners” won the Nature/Abstract category in last year’s contest!
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e are proud to be a member of the We Honor Veterans initiative, a program by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to address the growing hospice needs of our country’s veterans.
Veterans make up more than 25% of those at the end of life, and they have unique needs. Many veterans saw very difficult things while serving or lost close friends. The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that 10-30% of veterans have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a mental health disorder that can cause emotional distress, sleep disturbances and dramatic changes in behavior. As an added challenge, many of our oldest veterans served well before PTSD was diagnosed and commonly accepted. They may have dealt for years with painful memories and emotional trauma that was never diagnosed. The We Honor Veterans program helps veterans get the specialized end-of-life care they need, whether it’s counseling for PTSD or help receiving their full military benefits. We at Passages Hospice have just completed our first round of education for the We Honor Veterans program! We are looking forward to receiving our One Star partner status and launching some of our veteran-centric programs. Stay tuned in the next few months for our special activities for veterans: veteran-to-veteran volunteers, a military checklist for new patients, recognition events on military-centered holidays and more!
For more information about the We Honor Veterans program, visit www.wehonorveterans.org.
Did you know that the average age of a World War II veteran is 89?
Buy a Vet a cup of coffee! Join us and other We Honor Veterans members on July 4th (Independence Day) and August 14th (Victory over Japan Day) to buy a veteran a cup of coffee. Many veterans wear uniform items, t-shirts or hats with their branch of service or the war they served in. If you see a veteran on your morning coffee run or at lunch, shake their hand, express your thanks, and pay for their purchase. You never know who you’ll meet! July - August 2013 The Journey
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2 13 Celebrating Senior Citizens Day Our Seniors
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id you know that more than 8000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every single day? The 65+ generation has a lot to offer us in experience and wisdom. As we recognize Senior Citizens Day on August 21st, here are some simple ways to celebrate the spectacular seniors in your life. Share a meal. Make a senior citizen lunch or dinner - or take advantage of the senior discounts from one of the restaurants listed below! Cook together. Fast and prepared foods were much less common in the past. Open your kitchen to a senior and ask them to teach you their favorite recipes. You’re guaranteed to learn something along the way.
August 21
Help clean house. Many seniors could use a little help around the house, whether it’s cleaning or minor repairs. Clear off a weekend day and offer up your time and energy for a little home primping. This could be as small as clearing out old papers from their room in the nursing home. Just be sure to ask before taking any action.
Listen to their stories. Our seniors have lived through times of big change in America - from World War II through the cultural revolutions of the 1970s - and have a lot to teach us. Invite a senior citizen out for a cup of coffee and ask them to share a few lessons. The My Passage video memory program helps you record your loved one’s messages in a keepsake video. Please contact your Hospice and Palliative Liaison or call 888-741-8985 to request a video!
Take advantage of senior discounts at local businesses: AMC Theaters, Arby’s, Burger King, Chili’s, Goodwill, IHOP, Kmart, Kohl’s, McDonald’s, National Parks, Rite Aid, Taco Bell, TCBY, Wendy’s
Senior Citizens Day
Host a senior prom. Ask a local salon to donate some time, or bring in students from a beauty school to style your residents’ hair and makeup. Put on some golden oldies and jitterbug the night away!
Create a memory board. Designate a bulletin board or wall in your facility as the Hall of Memories, then fill it with colored note cards with resident stories. Consider taking a fun photo of each resident to include with their story.
in a Nursing Home
Request a special pet visit. Many local organizations offer well-behaved, trained pets as visitors. Contact your Hospice and Palliative Liaison to arrange a visit from our Passages Pooches volunteers!
Get intergenerational. Invite grandchildren or a local church or scouting group to spend an afternoon with your residents. Crafts, music and snacks are all easy activities that span the ages.
Walking With You:
Dialogue with a Hospice CNA CNA Tabatha Naylon from our Rockford region explains the role of a hospice CNA, and her personal philosophy about her care, in the newest episode of our Walking With You series.
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PASSAGES THROUGH TIME
Maximizing quality of life for those with dementia
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e are excited to announce the re-launch of our Passages Through Time dementia program! The Passages Through Time program puts an emphasis on engaging activities to help hospice patients with dementia experience a high quality of life. It uses a combination of trained staff, technology tools and sensory items to encourage participation and communication. 1/10 of adults over 65 have dementia, accounting for more than 5 million people in the United States alone. Dementia can rob someone of their ability to communicate or even function independently. Our goal is to help these patients gain meaningful time and experience a high quality of life.
Our non-pharmaceutical approach My Musical Passage
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Studies show that memories of music remain even after language is gone. Each patient or family chooses their favorite music from any era, and our staff provide personal headphones and supervision with donated mp3 players.
Exercise and Movement
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Light movement can help patients with dementia engage with their surroundings. Our program uses clinically-appropriate, fun activities to help patients with coordination, strength, balance and flexibility.
Rummage Bags
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Interactive Tablet 2. Computer Activities Tablet computers have a range of applications and activities to provide memory and tactile stimulation. They can help improve communication and motor skills, and they offer a social benefit.
4. PARO Therapeutic Robot
Animal therapy is known to improve mood and communication. The PARO therapeutic robot is shaped like a baby harp seal and uses five responsive sensors to communicate and respond to patients.
Rummaging is a common behavior found with dementia where the person searches through drawers and bags for an item they believe they’ve lost. Our rummage bags are filled with safe, familiar and engaging items that comfort the person.
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We’re currently accepting donations of used mp3 music players items for our rummage bags! Maximizing quality of lifeandfor those living with dem
Clean/gently used Rummage Bag items needed: My Musical Passages items needed: The Passages Through TimeFabric dementia swatches and/or yarn iPods W program puts an emphasis on engaging Stackable items (blocks) mp3 players activities presented by trained staffPhotos using and pictures old cell phones that play music technology tools and sensory items that Personal items (wallets, keys, purses) encourage participation and communication Find out more about the P Books to maximize the quality of life for thoseand magazines Items can be dropped off at any Passages Hospiceliving office location, or you Soft/squishyThrough Time dementia items with end stage dementia. can contact your Hospice and Palliative Liaison for more information.
Wednesday, Jul
Passages is a part of the INTERACT Initiative! INTERACT is an acronym for “Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers”, and is a quality improvement program designed to improve identification, evaluation, and communication about changes in nursing home resident status. INTERACT was first designed in a project supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the National Institute for Nursing Research and the National Institutes of Health. The INTERACT Program is designed to help reduce the negative results of hospital transfers among nursing home residents, including interruption of care and hospital-related complications. It will also lead to higher resident and family satisfaction, and an overall better experience for residents. The ultimate goal of INTERACT is to reduce hospital readmissions, which are stressful for the patient and costly for the medical system. Palliative and hospice care can be key to keep patients at comfortable and in their home or nursing home. Passages Hospice is the only hospice in country participating in INTERACT!
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• One in 4 Medicare patients admitted to skilled nursing facilities from hospitals is readmitted to the hospital within 30 days • Up to 2/3 of hospital transfers could be avoided by using long-term care professionals • Medicare is encouraging nursing homes to reduce potentially avoidable hospital transfers through pay-for-performance, bundled payments, and other strategies • INTERACT can help you improve care and prepare for these changes in Medicare reimbursement while improving resident satisfaction
Interact 3.0 traInIng now available from
Passages Palliative Care
our next interaCt training Day is: Date: tIme: LocatIon:
Please
RSVP
Interact 3.0 traInIng w w w. Pa ss age s Hospi c e. c om
now available from
Passages Palliative Care
Dreams are Ageless... Robert Bruce and Penny Wagner recently celebrated their love in a commitment ceremony at Asta Care Center of Toluca. Robert and Penny have known each other for more than 30 years, and fell in love a few years ago. Robert shared his hope to “make it official” with Wagner. Hospice Dreams put together a ceremony where the couple could exchange rings and vows. Robert and Penny exchange a kiss during their ceremony.
Arthur Hawkins doesn’t remember when he became a Cardinals fan, but he knows his love for the game has never faded over the years. He fondly remembers many years filled with days at the ballpark. On May 2nd, Arthur was decked out in Cardinals Navy, topped by a red STL hat, to be a guest of honor at Busch Stadium as the Cardinals took on the Cincinnati Reds.
Arthur takes in the game with Passages Hospice and Palliative Liaison Mark Wiggins.
Leverne Montmarquette from Lee Manor in Des Plaines spent many hours in the garden growing up. She loves the smells and colors of flowers. Leverne was the guest of honor at the Chicago Botanic Garden, where she took in the Sensory Garden and enjoyed lunch. Leverne accepts a bouquet from Alicia Green of the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Hospice Dreams is dedicated to fulfilling unmet wishes and improving quality of life for hospice patients.
www.hospicedreams.org
Did you know you can support Hospice Dreams for free? Here’s how: 1. Download the GoodSearch toolbar. Every time you use the toolbar to search, Hospice Dreams earns a penny. Every little bit adds up! 2. Use GoodShop through the toolbar. You get discounts on your online shopping, and Hospice Dreams gets a donation from the store! 3. Register for GoodDining. Just register and link your credit card to your account. Every time you eat at one of the participating restaurants, a portion of your automatically donated to Hospice Dreams. 4. Play Goodgames online. You can earn a penny for Hospice Dreams when you play three times. Help Hospice Dreams make money with no additional cost to you!
good games Evelyn Guffey loves her hometown of Canton, Illinois - from her long-time family home to the ice cream shop down the street. Evelyn enjoyed guiding Hospice Dreams staff throughout Canton as they drove familiar streets and shared memories. The day was capped off a visit to Hannam’s Dairy Dream, where Thewith Passages Hospice and Hospice Dreams online stores are hosted by and a letlemon you you shake! buy customized clothing, accessories and more, Evelyn ate onionCafePress, rings and Evelyn enjoys her lemon Click the links to read all about it:
shake (while WEEK TV of Peoria captures the action!).
the7, online at http://www.cafepress.com/passageshospice05 or WEEK TV (Peoria) -Visit June 2013stores • Peoria Journal Star - June 9, 2013 Canton Daily Ledger - June 10,http://www.cafepress.com/hospicedreams 2013
Lew Vosbrink never felt more at home than on his motorcycle. Lew spent more than 30 years traveling the roads of southern Illinois on his bike. Lew’s declining health meant his biker days were in the past - almost. With help from a fellow Hog enthusiast from Springfield, Lew pulled on his Harley shirt and leather jacket one more time. Click the video to watch Lew’s Dream!
Hospice Headlines: our care in the media Claudine Bjork honored during National Nurses Week Rockford Register Star - May 3, 2013
Philanthropist Gillman donates Blackhawks tickets for Hospice Dreams June 22 , 2013
DAILY REGISTER
EXTRA! EXTRA!
Bridging theknow Racialyou Divide: improving accessDreams for African Americans Did you can support Hospice for free? Here’s how: St. Louis Post Dispatch - May 17, 2013 1. Download the GoodSearch toolbar. Every time you use the toolbar to search, Hospice Dreams earns a National Hospice and Palliative Care Association penny. Every little bit adds up! American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine 2. Use GoodShop through the toolbar. You get discounts on your online shopping, and Hospice Dreams gets Robotic Relations: Making a donation from the store! Life Better with Robotics
The Cultural Quotient - Northwestern University
3. Register for GoodDining. Just register and link your credit card to your account. Every time you eat at one of the participating restaurants, a portion of your automatically donated to Hospice Dreams. Passages Through Time program brings comfort to dementia
Rockford Star - June 11, earn 2013 4. Play Register Goodgames online. You can a penny for Hospice Dreams when you play three times. Celebrating Cinco demake Mayo Help Hospice Dreams money with no additional cost to you! Kankakee Daily Journal - May 12, 2013
good games Click the blue links to read each story!
Mary at Embassy Care Center in Wilmington, IL shakes her Cinco de Mayo maraca!
The Passages Hospice and Hospice Dreams online stores are hosted by CafePress, and let you you buy customized clothing, accessories and more,
Visit the online stores at http://www.cafepress.com/passageshospice05 or http://www.cafepress.com/hospicedreams
Welcome Dr. Mahajan Chief Medical Officer
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We are pleased to welcome Dheeraj Mahajan, MD, CMD as Chief Medical Officer. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mahajan will lead interdisciplinary teams to evaluate patient needs and ensure the highest medical standards are met. “We are honored to have as experienced and dedicated a professional as Dr. Mahajan on the Passages Hospice team,” said Administrator Michael Gillman. “His extensive knowledge of geriatric medicine and his compassionate spirit will ensure our patients receive the utmost in palliative care.” Dr. Mahajan will oversee 7 Regional Medical Directors, 65 Regional Certifying Physicians and Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Mahajan is board certified in Internal Medicine and as a Medical Director, with special interests in hospice and palliative care. He has served in leadership positions for hospitals, long-term care facilities and hospice providers across the greater Chicago area.
CNA Debra Walters received her Master’s of Gerontology from Lindenwood University in June.
Honor Roll
Recognizing outstanding academic, personal and professional achievements of our staff.
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Chief Marketing Officer Shelley Johansen was named a VIP Member of the Covington's Who's Who Executive Registry. "“I have a need and passion to assure that the elderly, those at the end of life, and any other healthcare patients and their families are provided quality care at all stages of their illness,” Shelley says. RN Michael Lemp received his Master’s as a Family Nurse Practitioner in May! Michael graduated from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
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Around the Town
Cinco de Mayo Milestones Techniques 5-star Ratings WPXN Interview Meeting and Retreats
Residents at Watseka Rehabilitation celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a maraca craft.
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Emily O’Malley, Director of Palliative Care, with Passages Hospice founder Seth Gillman and Chief Marketing Officer Shelley Johansen, receives a milestone award for her dedication to Passages Palliative Care.
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L-R: Seth Passages Founder Seth Gillman, Director of Business Development Sarah Pappe, Hospice and Palliative Liaison Chana Jones, Hospice and Palliative Liaison Michelle Boland, Director of Business Kirk Swanson and Chief Marketing Officer Shelley Johansen. Sarah, Chana, Michelle, Kirk and Brenda Newman (not pictured) celebrated the milestone of completing 100 admissions.
4. Director of Business Development Kirk Swanson conducts an interview with WPXN radio during a Senior Fair event.
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Continuing education is important! Two of our nurses practice safe techniques to help a patient stand. Our chaplains enjoy a department meeting and spiritual retreat at the Morton Arboretum.
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Celebrating National Nursing Home Week Staff and residents at Coventry Village in Sterling celebrate National Nursing Home Week by playing Crazy Baseball! Chief Compliance Officer Dan Untch performed an impromptu banjo concert in honor of National Nursing Home Week. Hospice and Palliative Liaison Elizabeth Elliot and staff at Jerseyville Nursing and Rehabilitation enjoy an ice cream sundae bar. Watseka Nursing and Rehabilitation residents enjoy a kite flying demonstration by Passages Hospice staff.
National Nurses Week and National CNA Week
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LPN Paul and RN Donavon show off their “Nurses make the difference� t-shirts.
CNAs in our Chicago area celebrate a luau in their honor. CNAs and Nurses from our central Illinois area enjoy some time off during a picnic in their honor.
RNs in our Chicago area enjoy some well-deserved time off
Chicago-area CNAs gather during CNA Week to celebrate.
Your life. Your choice. Your Passage. 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 – helping patients and families cross a road they may have never faced before. We provide the courage to see the beauty in this last journey and give the expertise that provides the comfort, care and support needed for each step of the way. Passages Hospice
888-741-8985 Call us to be connected with someone in your area.
www.passageshospice.com
info@passageshospice.com