The journey sept oct 2013 issuu

The

JOURNEY

Your life. Your choice. Your Passage.

Healthcare Heroes Recognized Changing Cultural Norms Passages patients experience flower power Unique treatment for nature-loving patients

September - October 2013

September - October 2013 Providing Quality Care In: Bloomington, IL

404 N. Hershey Road, Ste. A Bloomington, IL 61704 Phone: 309.828.8139 Fax: 309.827.4878

Carbondale, IL

120 North Tower Rd., Ste. A Carbondale, IL 62901 Phone: 618.490.1040

Editorial

Kaitlyn Henderson Kansas Swain

Swansea, IL

16 Bronze Pointe Blvd.

Swansea, IL 62226 Phone: 618.234.7078 Fax: 618.257.7266

Art Direction Kamie Freeland

Carmel, IN

Photography

2325 Pointe Parkway, Ste. 110 Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: 317.564.8779

Lisle, IL

St. Louis, MO

Moline, IL

Janesville, WI

515 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532 Phone: 630.824.0400 Fax: 630.395.9235

Contributors:

Staff photographers supplied all photos in this newsletter unless otherwise specified.

1120 South Sixth Street, Ste. 500 St. Louis, MO 63104 Phone: 314-241-5700 Fax: 314-241-0441

609 35th Ave. Ste. 1-A Upper Level Moline, IL 61265

1828 N. Washington St., Ste., 170 Janesville, WI 53548 Phone: 608.531.2212

Rockford, IL

After Hours Helpline 888-741-8983

Coming this fall!

929 S. Alpine Road, Ste. 202 Rockford, IL 61108 Phone: 815.226.7785 Fax: 815.226.7786

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.

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Sept. - Oct. 2013

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 September 6th through issuu.

View the issue at http://bit. ly/166moeL

orch T AWARD

Marketplace Ethics

2013 Honorable Mention Trust • Performance • Integrity

Chief Medical Officer Dheeraj Mahajan, MD

Chief Compliance Officer Sharon DeVita

Chief Marketing Officer Shelley Johansen

Chief Financial Officer Sandy Szajkovics

Social Services Roxxi Davis

Spiritual Care David Weiss

Clinical Services Carmen Velez

Physician and Hospital Services Jacob Matich

Palliative Care Emily O’Malley

Public Relations and Foundation Development Kansas Swain

Volunteer Services Nicole Brokaw

I N D E X

Phone 1-888-741-8985 Toll-free Email info@passageshospice.com Web www.passageshospice.com Connect

3

Welcome Dr. Gautam

3

Passages patients experience flower power

4

Recognizing Healthcare Heroes

5

Health care awards finalist

6

September Healthy Aging Month Pain Relief Tips

7-8

Circle of Life Award

9

Reducing hospitalizations

10

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month

11

Changing cultural norms for better care

12

¡Felíz Cumpleaños, Concha

12

Autumn activities for nursing homes

13

Celebrating Patriot’s Day and We Honor Veterans

14

Special message from Sgt. Lewis

14

Celebrating Labor Day

15-16

Celebrating your sweetheart on Sweetest Day

17-18

Chicago Health Magazine feature

19

Dreams are ageless

20

In the media

21-22

Around the town

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assages Palliative Care welcomes Dr. Sagun Gautam as its Medical Director, effective September 1st. Dr. Gautam is Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Care and Family Medicine, completed a residency in Gerontology, and has been practicing for 5 years. Dr. Gautam is a Certified Medical Director, which adds administrative and regulatory expertise to his outstanding medical care.

As the Palliative Medical Director, Dr. Gautam will oversee Nurse Practitioners and palliative physicians, provide training to palliative and hospice staff, and serve as a community liaison for Passages Palliative Care.

Dr. Gautam has specialties in palliative care, hospice care and gerontology, and believes that his personal duty as a physician is to support some of the most vulnerable patients in our community. His philosophy in providing care is to "help people achieve quality of life as they define it."

"My goals are so closely matched with Passages," Dr. Gautam says. "Together we will help people know that it's "Your life. Your choice. Your Passage."

Passages patients experience

flower power A

Caption: Helen sniffs a petunia in the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Sensory Garden during her horticultural therapy visit.

t the end of your life, the simple things matter most. The sun on your face and the sweet smell of your favorite flower can change your entire day. That's why we've partnered with the Chicago Botanic Garden's Horticultural Therapy program to bring this unique treatment to our nature-loving patients.

Horticultural Therapy has been recognized as effective treatment for almost 150 years, and the Chicago Botanic Garden has a world-class program with experienced horticultural therapists. But our patients will get more than dirty hands in the garden. Horticultural therapy encourages communication, relieves stress and creates a care-free world where sickness and worry don't exist for a few hours.

Two patients have already experienced the benefits of horticultural therapy, and we're eager to expand the program. Would a hospice patient from your facility like to visit the Botanic Garden? Talk to your Hospice and Palliative Liaison to learn more about the program. See feature story on WBBM!

L-R Hero Shontrale Williams, Regional Director Dave Lithgow and Hero Natasha Satterfeal.

H H

Second Annual Healthcare Heroes Event

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ongratulations to the winners of our second annual Healthcare Heroes contest! Natasha Satterfeal of LeRoy and Shontrale Williams of Decatur were chosen by their peers and care partners as representing the highest standard of care and compassion for the families and patients of Passages Hospice.

Natasha was inspired to become a nursing assistant by her sister Tiffany Boyd, another CNA with Passages Hospice. Tiffany was named a Healthcare Hero in the 2012 .

“I love the extra time I get to spend with patients,” Natasha says of her job. “They’re like family to me.”

Shontrale was looking for a career change when her mother died unexpectedly. She enrolled in nursing school, and currently works as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Shontrale says she uses her own experiences with death to help comfort the families she works with.

“It’s so much more than moving and cleaning patients,” she says. “You have to have patience and compassion.”

Ragan’s Health Care

Public Relations

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Honorable Mention

e are excited to announce that we are a Honorable Mention in the Health Care Public Relations Awards through Ragan Communications! The awards recognize public awareness, education and information programs in health care organizations ranging from a private physician to the Mayo Clinic! The 2nd annual awards received hundreds of entries in 24 categories like “Best use of Social Media” and “Best Website”.

Passages Hospice is a Honorable Mention in the “Best Interview Video” category with our entry of the Walking With You Dialogues. The Walking With You Dialogues are a series of video interviews no longer than 2 minutes. Each Walking With You video details a different aspect of hospice care, from the admissions process to bereavement. We also have videos covering the Myths and Truths of Hospice Care and Hospice 101.

The Walking With You video series has become one of our flagship programs, and sets our company apart from other hospice providers. It emphasizes our commitment to community education and patient- and family-centered care by making our information as accessible as possible.

As an added benefit, the Walking With You series contributes to our employee morale and satisfaction by giving our outstanding caregivers the opportunity to be recognized by their coworkers and clients.

It also encourages interdepartmental cooperation by giving different parts of our care team insight into their coworkers’ jobs!

See all the Walking With You videos: Day In The Life Of A: hospice nurse • hospice physician • hospice CNA • hospice chaplain • hospice volunteer • hospice social worker Explaining hospice and palliative care • Myths and Truths about hospice • Explaining the hospice admissions process See the entire Walking With You series on our Youtube channel at www.youtube.com/passageshospice.

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September is healthy aging month!

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uick fixes like plastic surgery or ‘miracle pills’ aren’t necessary to age gracefully. September is Healthy Aging Month, and Passages Hospice has a few tips to help maintain a healthy mind and body as the years go by.

1.

Eat your vegetables. Leafy greens and bright-colored vegetables are full of important nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants that keep your body running smoothly.

2.

Play a ‘brain’ game: A study in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society shows cognitive games like mazes or sudoku help ward off memory loss.

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3.

2.

Grab a cub of Joe. Green and black teas help influence enzymes in the brain, while the caffeine sparks concentration.

4.

Spark up a debate: Being around other people who keep you mentally and intellectually stimulated lowers your risk of developing dementia.

3.

4.

Pain Relief Tips!

hronic pain from an injury or illness can seriously affect your everyday life and keep you from activities you enjoy. Pain management is not only about medication but can include lifestyle changes. These tips can help you manage chronic pain and enjoy a high quality of life.

"Sometimes pain can't be eliminated," says RN Carmen Velez, Director of Clinical Services, "but with a few daily habits and changes, it can be controlled."

1. Practice deep breathing or meditation. Concentrating on something else can distract you from the pain.

2. Hold someone's hand or give them a hug. Using your other senses like touch can make pain seem less severe.

3. If you have been prescribed pain medication, take it regularly and according to your doctor's instructions. It's easier to prevent or manage pain than it is to treat it once it starts.

4. Track your daily activities and pain level to find out when your pain is worst. Knowing when you need a break to relax can help you schedule your day and minimize pain.

If your pain becomes too severe, see your doctor or another healthcare professional immediately.

CIRCLE of LIFE Award

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assages Hospice has completed its submission for the Circle of Life award for excellence in palliative care. The Circle of Life award is presented by the American Hospital Association, in cooperation with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care.

The Circle of Life award is a rigorous process that requires an in-depth look at how our entire organization operates. Staff from all departments within Passages Hospice contributed their time and expertise to our application. In addition, we were honored to receive letters of support from our community partners who believe in the Passages Hospice difference. We are grateful for the support and partnership of: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Dignity Memorials (Weinstein Funeral Home), HispanoCare, Inc., YAM Management and Infinity Health Care Management.

Our application is now being reviewed in detail by a panel of esteemed judges. The Circle of Life award will be presented next July at the American Hospital Association’s Health Forum Summit.

Palliative and end-of-life programs are recognized for: Providing effective, patient/family-centered, timely, safe, efficient, and equitable palliative and end-of-life care Striving to implement the domains of the National Consensus Project (NCP) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care Utilizing innovative approaches to critical needs and serve as sustainable, replicable models for the field Seeking to address multi-faceted needs of persons living with serious illness throughout the disease trajectory Demonstrating significant impact on people with life-limiting illness and those around them Actively working with other health care organizations, education and training programs, and the community

See Maude’s Dream the mayor mentions on Chicago’s ABC News by clicking here!

Hospital Visits Hurt More than Heal

12%

2%

12% of Medicare recipients who were hospitalized for an illness will return to the hospital within 30 days

Hospitals with high readmission rates are being fined by Medicare - up to 2% of their funding

$1 Billion

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Helping just 1 in 10 of those people to stay out of the hospital would save Medicare 1 BILLION dollars every year

The Bridge Model uses trained community coordinators as an extension of the hospital discharge planner. The Bridge Care Coordinator provides 30 days of intensive care coordination in the community. Services may include “We plan to address the problem help scheduling follow up doctor appointments, visits from home care head-on,” said Passages Hospice Administrator Michael Gillman. “We’re or even connecting the person to doing our part to ensure people get their church or local senior center for help. the best care and the health care system uses its funding responsibly.”

“Sometimes people just don’t know We are proud to be the only hospice in where to turn,” said Bridge Care Studies show that being hospitalized is hard on the patient’s physical and country to participate in two national Coordinator Shelly Roy. “We are emotional wellbeing. Older patients programs to reduce hospitalizations. plugged into their local community are at an especially high risk for stress, INTERACT (Interventions to Reduce and will help them get to the people Acute Care Transfers) uses detailed and places they need.” worry and anxiety over their hospitalization, and they often have reporting and tracking to find nursing “Palliative and hospice care add an weaker immune systems that make home residents at high risk for repeated hospitalizations. From that extra layer of support for patients and them susceptible to acquiring families,” Gillman said. “That support another disease while they’re in the data, the interdisciplinary group hospital. Hospitalizations are also provides treatments and options to can make the difference between home and the hospital.” help keep the person in the facility. o one likes being in the hospital, but some people have a harder time avoiding it. Chronic illnesses like heart failure and pneumonia can cause sudden symptoms like shortness of breath or pain that need to be treated right away. Concerned families do the first thing they think of - head to the emergency room. But the hospital isn’t necessarily the best place to get that treatment.

enormously expensive - costing an average of $6,000 per day. All those factors make it critical that the heath care community works together to keep people as safe and comfortable at home as possible.

After Hours Helpline 888-741-8983

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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ore than 230,000 Americans will find out they have breast cancer this year. A woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is nearly 1 in 8, or about 12%. Breast cancer is much rarer in men, but more than 2,000 new men are diagnosed each year.

After a diagnosis, family and friends are often left wondering what they can say or do to help.

No matter what stage the person’s cancer is in, a few empathetic and open questions can help start the conversation.

Do admit that you might not know what to say , but that you are willing to listen.

Do ask about other things in the person’s life like children, work or hobbies. Remember that the person is more than the cancer.

Do stay in touch with cards, emails, or notes. The person might be too busy to respond, but he or she will appreciate it.

Don’t tell the person you understand how they feel (unless you have cancer too.) Even the most sympathetic person can’t fully understand how a cancer diagnosis feels.

Don’t stay away simply because you don’t know what to do.

“They might not need help or want to talk right away,” says Roxxi Davis, Director of Social Services for Passages Hospice. “Just letting them know you’re available and willing can help.”

1 in 8 women will be

2000 NEW MEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER EACH YEAR

diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime

Changing cultural norms for better care

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uring Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15), we recognize the important role the Hispanic culture has in hospice care. Hispanic patients make up just 5.7% of all hospice patients in the United States, although that number is growing slightly each year, thanks to outreach and education by hospices across the country.

Hispanic families are traditionally very close-knit, and may be hesitant to ask for outside help in caring for their loved one. We’re working hard to dispel the misunderstanding that hospice staff “take over” the patient’s care. In fact, family participation (especially when the patient lives at home) is a vitally important part of hospice care. The hospice team values each family’s input and preferences in helping their loved one get the best care possible.

To help reach Hispanic families who could benefit from hospice care, we’re actively working in the community.

Many of our informational materials are available in Spanish, and our compassionate, Spanish-speaking staff is available to answer any questions patients or families have. We’ve also partnered with local cultural centers, health care facilities and Hispanic community leaders to spread the word about how hospice care can help and we’re proud to report that it’s working. Passages Hospice serves a higher percentage of Hispanic patients than the national average. We’re continuing our work in the communities until every family who needs care has access to it.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Concha

!

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e helped Concha Delgado, a spirited 84-year-old, celebrate her birthday with a fiesta! Concha loved the passionate dances she learned in Mexico, and Dreamt of dancing the salsa, meringue and samba once more.

Through our nonprofit organization, Hospice Dreams, we partnered with the Latin American Social Club in Sterling, Illinois to throw Concha a birthday to remember. Professional Latin dancers demonstrated their talents before Concha took to the floor herself.

Dressed all in red (her favorite color) Concha wowed her family and friends with her moves, even from her wheelchair.

Autumn Activities for nursing homes Here are some fun and inexpensive activities that you can do at your facility!

1

Play in the leaves. Get lots of construction paper in fall colors. Have your residents help cut out leaves, then display them all over your activity room.

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Honor veterans. Hold a special ceremony to acknowledge the veterans at your facility. Make sure their children and grandchildren can attend!

4

Host a concert. Invite a local school choir or band to perform at your facility.

Make it a sing-along!

Cookout…or cook in! If the weather’s nice, break out the grill and celebrate the end of summer with hot dogs, smores, and more!

If it’s cold out, take it indoors!

Honoring our Veterans As we mentioned in our last newsletter, we have completed our first round of education for the We Honor Veterans program, the initiative by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization that addresses the increasing hospice needs of our country’s veterans. We have received our One Star partner status and are hard at work earning our Second Star!

As part of our Second Star activity, we have partnered with Walking for the Fallen. Sgt. Chuck Lewis, who created Walking for the Fallen, is taking a 6-month, 3300-mile walk across the United States in order to educate the public, recruit Honor Guard members and raise funds for wounded and disabled military veterans.

Our staff donated supplies and gift cards to help Chuck along his trip. In Noblesville, Indiana, we activated the local veterans organizations and coordinated a ceremony with city officials and the Hamilton County

Veterans Services organization at the Memorial Wall in the center of town.

We have also started a video series highlighting veteran experiences, and continue to implement the Military History Checklist for our new patients and build relationships with local veterans organizations.

It’s an exciting time for Passages Hospice! Keep an eye out for our next update!

Patriot Day - September 11th Patriot Day takes place on September 11 in memory of those who perished in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Patriot Day is also designated as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, which is a call to volunteer in the community as well as a time to support and honor veterans.

Special message from Sergeant Lewis

Click Here

nt ergea d S t e iftcar pice m s Hos is with a g rney. e g a s is jou f Pas llino clay o nkakee, I od along h r a B a Stacy outside K ies and fo l s Lewi hase supp c r u to p

Serg e Pass ant Ch uck ages L at d urin Hospic ewis, in e sta g his ff a black stop in N nd VFW, poses w oble svill memb ith e, In e dian rs a.

Labor Day During this Labor Day season, we’d like to thank the staff of our incredible care partners for the often under-appreciated work they do. The nurses, aides, housekeeping, dietary and other staff at nursing facilities spend their days caring for the most vulnerable members of our community. Their job is often physically and emotionally demanding.

Labor Day was originally created to recognize the social and economic contributions of workers, and the social contribution of health care staff can’t be denied. They work hard, with dedication and compassion to the residents and patients they serve. Their professionalism and care helps families live with the challenges of an ill loved one, and helps keep our communities a safer place to age.

We are proud to call these dedicated caregivers our partners in care, and encourage others to recognize their work during this Labor Day season.

Celebrating your sweetheart on Sweetest Day

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hether you enjoy the holiday or think it was invented to help greeting card sales, Sweetest Day is a chance to share the love in your life. We’ve been lucky to see so many love stories among our patients, from new marriages and first honeymoons to 70th wedding anniversaries and celebrations of great-grandchildren. Love is an important and widespread feeling in hospice care, and it’s our pleasure to be a part of these amazing family stories.

“You’re just everything to me and it means so much to do this,” Robert told Penny.

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lthough Robert Bruce and Penny Wagner were friends for more than 30 years, their relationship turned to love just a few years ago. Robert wanted to “make it official” with Penny while they still have time together. Our chaplain held a backyard ceremony for the couple, where they exchanged rings and vows.

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hen Walter and Kathryn Weffenstette fell in love more than 70 years ago, Walter vowed to always give Kathryn a beautiful Valentine’s Day date. But when his condition declined and he chose Passages Hospice, he needed a little help.

With our help, Walter decorated a room in his nursing facility and ordered the couple’s favorite Valentine’s Day meal - Red Lobster. Our staff added their gifts of flowers and a sip of champagne to make the couple’s celebration complete.

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obert and Bonnie Hart’s favorite memories are dancing around the house and making each other laugh - and now, their wedding ceremony.

The Harts were married in the courthouse nearly ten years ago, but Robert wanted to give Bonnie the traditional wedding she always dreamed of. We worked with the Hart’s community to find hair styling, a dress, a cake, flowers and more. The Harts renewed their wedding vows in an outdoor ceremony with their family and friends standing by.

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K

lbert and Marion Wagner were married for more than 64 years when Marion had a serious stroke.

She regained her ability to move and speak, but her condition was still very serious. Albert and Marion wanted to celebrate their love in a public ceremony at Marion’s nursing facility. As an added bonus, they enjoyed a sunny summer wedding to compliment their original January ceremony 64 years ago.

athryn wanted to share the love with her granddaughter (and namesake), who was getting married. Our staff helped Kathryn prepare for the special day, and accompanied her to the wedding.

AS SEEN IN

In The Know/ACCESS

SUMMER/FALL 2013 ISSUE

TO CARE

CHICAGOHEALTHONLINE.COM

This article is reprinted with permission from Chicago Health Magazine.

Palliative and hospice care are more about familycentered care that provides comfort and compassion

By Karen Schwartz

When Tom Donausky’s mother Frances took a turn for the worse at Smith Crossing, a nursing home in Orland Park, where she was first admitted in November 2011, the professionals suggested hospice. But it wasn’t quite time for that.

Instead, Frances spent about a month receiving palliative care in the memory support unit at Smith Crossing, where medical professionals from Passages Hospice and Palliative Care checked her vital signs regularly, adjusted her medication and provided other medical and social services as needed.

Then, her condition worsened, and palliative care wasn’t enough. Frances received 24-hour hospice care for 18 months until she passed away in April at age 91.

“We realized her time was ending, and given her physical condition, we wanted to make sure she was comfortable and without pain,” Donausky says.

“The staff was very good, not only medically, but also in other ways. At one point, my mother didn’t have an appetite, and they made sure she had plenty of protein drinks and water and recommended we bring in a hospital bed to elevate her [head] to ease her breathing. The hospice/palliative care liaison was also a very caring individual who gave my family and me the

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Sept. - Oct. 2013

information we needed and always asked how we were doing.”

Palliative care is “for patients who have chronic or life-limiting illnesses, [but] don’t have a limit on their life expectancy,” says Natalie Benda, MSW, LSW, a Passages social worker. “Patients may have chronic heart disease but may live 20 years. The goal is to prevent or relieve suffering, and many of these patients do eventually [move] into hospice care.

“It’s a great benefit to be able to follow a patient, and the family, from the beginning of the patient’s symptoms to the end, when the patient is in hospice care. We can talk to families about [issues ranging from] artificial feeding to funeral arrangements. It allows us to be proactive.”

With hospice patients, an aggressive, life-saving approach to care is no longer pursued. They are certified by their physicians as having six months or less to live (although some patients may live longer than that). It’s “for patients with terminal illnesses; when a cure is no longer possible,” says Benda. She adds that as with palliative care, a team of medical, psychosocial and spiritual support experts manage symptoms and provide comfort.

Still, there are similarities.

Patients of all ages may receive both palliative or hospice care, and care can

be given in numerous settings including hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities as well as in the comfort of a patient’s home. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, approximately 67 percent of hospice patients receive care at home. Both types of care focus on symptom relief and pain management, and both involve the family in the care of the patient. In addition to basic medical care, hospice and palliative care patients may be visited by a volunteer who reads to them; they may receive massage and music therapy; be visited by a chaplain or rabbi; and receive other psychosocial services that provide comfort and symptom management.

Family involvement is a crucial part of both palliative and hospice care.

“A serious illness is experienced by the person who is ill [as well as by] their family, biologic or chosen,” says Dr. Martha Twaddle, chief medical officer of Midwest Palliative and Hospice CareCenter, a nonprofit communitybased program headquartered in Glenview. “We seek to be sure that the family knows what the person wants; what is most important now. And together, they can set the goals of care.

Our goal is to help patients and families make informed choices and to be sure that the care they receive is meaningful

CHICAGOHEALTHONLINE.COM and provides true quality to their lives.

This is important, regardless of the stage of illness.”

For Sam Cassato and his family, the move from palliative care to hospice was a comfort, according to Cassato’s daughter, Margaret Lamason. Eight years ago, Cassato was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. The chronic lung disease didn’t dramatically affect him for five years. Then, at age 85—three years ago—things changed.

Lamason, a construction project director and consultant, was working on a job at Midwest and came to know

maintain the most active and normal lifestyle despite any treatments.

By January 2012, Twaddle noticed a decline in Cassato’s condition and began seeing him more regularly. “He was concerned about my mom [how she would get by],” Lamason says. “And at one point, Dr. Twaddle suggested we consider transferring to hospice care.

That started last June.

“At the time, we all thought he had six months to live, which we took as a blow—it was tough to hear that diagnosis. But it became a huge gift to [have direction and structure as we started]

“[The] goal is to help patients and families make informed choices and to be sure that the care they receive provides true quality to their lives.”

Twaddle. “She (Twaddle) asked me, ‘Do your parents have a plan for what they should do if they find one or the other unresponsive?’” Lamason says. “I knew they had discussed their wishes about what to do at the end, but they hadn’t discussed this. It was an eye-opener for me and my siblings because that was a likely scenario at their age and living by themselves in their home.” (Cassato’s wife Marjorie was 84 at the time.)

The conversations that followed between Twaddle and Cassato and his family were not about a crisis at hand, but about how Cassato wanted to live with his disease at home. At every step of the way, Twaddle and the palliative care team worked in tandem with Cassato’s other doctors and with him to

WHEN IS IT TIME TO CONSIDER PALLIATIVE OR HOSPICE CARE?

recognizing that the decline was going to continue.”

Even though in hospice care, Cassato remained fairly active. He couldn’t drive anymore, but he would get showered and dressed every day even if the time out of bed was limited.

He wanted to live a normal life while at home, his daughter says. But eventually, even the simplest tasks became too much for him physically, and Cassato was moved into the Marshak Family Hospice Pavilion at Midwest. He was there for 12 days with members of his large family (7 kids, 21 grandkids and 5 great-grandkids) by his side at all times. Then in late May, after being in hospice for nearly a year, Sam Cassato passed away in the night, with his

DR. MARTHA TWADDLE COURTESY OF MIDWEST PALLIATIVE AND HOSPICE CARECENTER

eldest son by his bedside. He was 88.

“I think my dad lived as long as he did because he was in hospice,” says Lamason. “He knew that stress [affected] his health, and the objective was to reduce his stress. He was given a gift of life because had we not known [his condition] that early, I don’t think his stress would have been managed, and he would have declined quicker.

“The misconception is that people call hospice when they throw in the towel and are ready to die. Nothing could be further from the truth for us. He had the desired outcome of having a wonderful, peaceful death instead of fearing it,” she says.

“We’re all thankful.” +

Critical Questions Dr. Gordon Wood, assistant medical director at Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter and director of palliative medicine and supportive care at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, suggests that if you answer yes to any of the following, hospice or palliative care may be beneficial to you. Review the following questions and talk with your medical professional about how to address these medical conditions and enhance your quality of life. More information can also be found at GetPalliativeCare.org

Do you or a loved one have one or more of the following serious illnesses?

Cancer Congestive heart failure (CHF) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, lung disease Kidney failure Liver failure Neurological diseases (e.g., ALS, Parkinson’s) Dementia Do you or a loved one have symptoms that make it difficult to be as active as you would like to be, or impact your quality of life?

These symptoms might include: Pain or discomfort Shortness of breath Fatigue

Anxiety Depression Lack of appetite Nausea Constipation Are you or a loved one experiencing any of the following?

Difficult side effects from treatment Eating problems due to a serious illness Frequent emergency room visits Three or more admissions to the hospital within 12 months with the same symptoms Do you or a loved one need help with any of the following?

Knowing what to expect Knowing what programs and resources are available

Making medical decisions about treatment choices/options Matching your goals and values to your medical care Understanding the pros and cons (benefits/ burdens) of treatments (e.g., dialysis, additional cancer treatments, surgery, etc.)

Do you or a loved one need help with any of the following?

Coping with the stress of a serious illness Emotional support Spiritual or religious support Talking with your family about your illness and what is important to you Is your family concerned or overwhelmed because they are not certain how to care for you or find the support they need?

Once palliative or hospice care has been determined as the appropriate care, Natalie Benda from Passages Hospice and Palliative Care suggests asking the provider the following: • Does the agency have a 24-hour phone number you can call if you have questions, and how do they respond to your phone call?

• What are the treatment limits to come

into the program; for example, IVs, feeding tubes and a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate order)?

• What is expected from the family caregiver, and how does hospice/palliative care supplement the family’s responsibilities?

• How often does hospice or palliative

staff make visits? (This will change as the patient’s condition changes.)

• How many years has the agency been

serving your community, and can the agency give you references?

• What bereavement services are provided?

Dreams are Ageless...

Passages Hospice’s preferred not-for-profit organization is Hospice Dreams!

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ngealena and her husband Larry have always loved the St. Louis Zoo, especially the penguin house. When their two sons were born, the family often took trips to enjoy the animals. But as Angealena’s health declined, trips to the zoo became harder. Hospice Dreams helped Angealena and her family enjoy another outing to the St. Louis Zoo.

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ixie’s Dream is easy to understand - a good meal at her favorite restaurant! After getting dressed up and having her hair done, Dixie enjoyed lobster and filet mignon, all courtesy of Jim’s Steakhouse in Bloomington, Illinois.

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aude Harlow had never been to Chicago in her 104 years of life! Hospice Dreams coordinated a oncein-a-lifetime visit for the centenarian, including shopping at Macy’s, lunch at Sweetwater Tavern and a personal welcome from Chicago’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Maude was even featured on ABC news! Click here to watch the story.

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ladys loves baseball in the summertime, so her Dream was to cheer on her St. Louis Cardinals again. She enjoyed the ballpark classic - a hotdog - and even made it on the jumbo screen with her “Go Cardinals” sign!

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atricia has always taken pride in her appearance, but worries that chemotherapy has changed her looks.

Hospice Dreams gave Patricia a day of beauty at Serenitee Salon and Spa in East Peoria, Illinois. Patricia and her daughter enjoyed manicures, pedicures and hair styling. Their favorite pizza parlor even donated lunch for the ladies!

www.hospicedreams.org

Hospice Headlines: our care in the media

Senior Service presentations Freeport Journal-Standard

DAILY REGISTER

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Passages staff named healthcare heroes LeRoy Press Decatur Herald-Review Finding comfort in common things BlogTalk Radio - Healthy Caregivers Show

Local Hospice Taking Patients to Botanical Gardens for Relief WBBM Radio Passages joins national programs to reduce hospitalizations Edwardsville Intelligencer Passages earns 1st star in We Honor Veterans program Rockford Register Star Indianapolis Business Journal Passages helps Vietnam Veteran walking across America Kankakee Daily Journal Not Quite the End of the Road Chicago Health Magazine

Sonya Anderson, Assistant Director of Nursing at Passages Hospice, and Harvey Nolen reminisce during a visit.

Get your gear here!

Couple renews vows in hospice care WPSD TV WSIL TV 103-year-old gets Dream in Big City DNA Info Chicago Yahoo! News Thanking healthcare workers this Labor Day Rockford Register Star Hospice hits home for local nurse Mascoutah Herald Click the blue links to read each story!

Visit the online stores at http://www.cafepress.com/passageshospice05 or http://www.cafepress.com/hospicedreams

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ompliance with federal, state and local regulations is one of our biggest focuses!

To help educate our staff, the Compliance and Quality Assurance Department held “Compliance Week” in each regional office. Here, Compliance staff Lauren Bruggenthies-Lott and Jennifer Gibb talk to our central Illinois team.

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7-year-old Ruby, from Belvidere, recorded her My Passage video with her family. Ruby made her “world-famous” Norwegian crackle cookies so her family will always have the recipe and the wonderful memories of making the video.

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he Passages Hospice team was all smiles after taking home first place at the 2nd Annual Golfing for Alzheimer’s Tournament hosted by Friendship House and Fireside House of Centralia.

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outhern Illinois staff participated in a community Blood Drive in honor of a local police officer who was wounded in the line of duty.

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Around the Town

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entral Illinois Volunteer Coordinator Amy O'Dea took her job into the real world as a volunteer with PV Adventures in the Appalachian Mountains.

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ur care teams took a well-deserved afternoon of rest to enjoy each other’s company at a picnic in the park. Our Chicago-area volunteers also celebrated summer with a picnic. They wrote encouraging notes to each other and shared stories of volunteering.

Capture the moment!

Follow us on Instagram to see the best photos of our staff, activities and events!

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