North Carolina’s “Cleveland Rocks” Mission Group Entertains Hospice Patients

June 18, 2013

It’s no secret to those of us who live here that Cleveland is in the midst of a major rebirth.  All the “buzz” about our hometown has reached into rural North Carolina. Sixty middle school and high school students from the combined youth choirs of First Baptist Church of Mount Holly and Marion, North Carolina were inspired to plan a “Cleveland Rocks” mission trip.  They are in town through June 24.

While in Cleveland, the choir members are performing for Hospice of the Western Reserve’s patients at David Simpson Hospice House on the lakefront at E. 185th St. and Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake, and taking part in projects with the Cleveland Food Bank, The City Mission, the Men’s Shelter, and the Lutheran Metro Ministries. They are reserving time to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Greater Cleveland Aquarium and other attractions while in town. Tribe fans are in for a special treat when the combined choirs sing the National Anthem this Friday evening for the Cleveland Indians / Braves game.

The two choirs have performed mission tours across the United States, most recently to New York City, Chicago, and San Antonio. The Choir is under the direction of father and son Ministers of Music Terry and Brian Childers. Music for the concerts is drawn from a repertoire spanning hundreds of years, from classical to contemporary.

About Hospice of the Western Reserve

Celebrating 35 years of service in the Northern Ohio region, Hospice of the Western Reserve is a nationally ranked non-profit agency providing comfort and emotional support to patients and their families. The agency provides palliative end-of-life care, caregiver support and bereavement services throughout the region, and cares for people in a variety of settings, including private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, at Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake and David Simpson Hospice House on Cleveland’s east side. For more information, visit http://www.hospicewr.org, or call 800.707.8922.

Tattoos and Grief

June 10, 2013

I’ve always been fascinated by tattoos. I can be found watching reality shows such as Ink Master and America’s Worst Tattoos. It’s so interesting what people choose to become part of their skin, something they see every day, reminders of what has been and what remains.

In grief work, I meet many who have had memorial tattoos of all kinds. And my heart weeps when I talk with moms who have infant’s footprints or portraits inked on various parts of their body. I wonder if I would do that. And I wonder in general what moves grieving people to get tattoos.

First let’s talk about the physical process of getting the memorial tattoo.  This is often a ritual. We know about the importance of rituals in grief work. Many folks go to the tattoo parlor with friends or family which builds the sense of community. Just as grief hurts, getting a tattoo is physically painful. In time grief softens but it is always a part of you. Tattoos itch and burn as they heal. The skin softens. The healing of the tattoo is a process just like grief. And when the tattoo is healed, it becomes a part of you.  The tattoo is a symbol of the continuing bond the bereaved has with the deceased.  The deceased not only lives on in the griever’s heart but also on their skin.

There are several ways to honor your loved one in a tattoo.

• The person’s name, date of birth and date of death.
• Quotes and images that are meaningful
• Hearts symbolize the love you have for the deceased. Your heart is broken and heart tattoos fill the brokenness/emptiness.
• Hearts with wings combine love and angels (if you believe in angels). Hearts with wings could also mean that love that lifts your spirits without any religious connotation. 
• Portraits of the deceased can provide great comfort when done well.
• Religious symbols can include anything from artifacts to praying hands.
• R.I.P. – To rest in peace is what most grievers want for their beloved.

Memorials tattoos can play an important part in the grief process. They open up the conversation to telling the story. Tattoos mark the change that has occurred, give voice to the loss and help maintain a continuing bond.  

Resources:

http://www.onlinegriefsupport.com/group/tattoomemorial

http://becauseilive.hubpages.com/hub/In-Loving-Memory-Memorial-RIP-Tattoos#memorials

Please visit our on-line grief discussions groups at http://www.hospicewr.org/discussions/grief/.

Please like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ESPBCenter.

Volunteers Bring Gift of Music to Hospice Patients

May 29, 2013

Cleveland, Ohio (May 29, 2013) — Hospice of the Western Reserve’s volunteers were treated to a concert by the Rocky River Community Chorus at Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake recently in gratitude for the successful culmination of the “Gift of Music” campaign, which raised more than $32,000 to purchase a new grand piano, two digital pianos, and additional support for the music therapy program.
 
The campaign was conceived and led by Hospice of the Western Reserve volunteer Don Stark of West Park, who envisioned a grand piano as the “heart” of the new hospice house, which first opened its doors to patients last summer. One hundred and four volunteers from all parts of the organization donated more than $21,000 to the campaign. “I’m so pleased that all of my fellow volunteers stepped up to make this happen,” Stark said. “It’s quite amazing to see this grow from what started as a little idea to a successful conclusion.”

The Kulas Foundation also played a definitive role in the “Gift of Music” campaign, providing a grant of $11,000 and invaluable expertise in evaluating and choosing the instruments. In 1994, the foundation provided the funds to purchase the grand piano in Hospice of the Western Reserve’s east side in-patient care facility, David Simpson Hospice House on the lakefront at E. 185th Street. . 

The new grand piano serves as the centerpiece of the great room, where families and friends can gather to play familiar tunes and enjoy quality time together. It is also used for special events and ceremonies, including “Meal to Remember,” which treats hospice patients and their caregivers to gourmet meals prepared by different Cleveland restaurants each month, and Veterans’ Recognition Ceremonies, which honor and thank hospice patients for their military service. The digital pianos are used for music therapy, and in the meditation room, where patients and families gather for reflection, prayer, meditation and religious ceremonies. 

About Hospice of the Western Reserve

Celebrating 35 years of service, Hospice of the Western Reserve is a nationally ranked non-profit agency providing comfort and emotional support to patients and their families. The agency provides palliative end-of-life care, caregiver support and bereavement services throughout the region, and cares for people in a variety of settings, including private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, at Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake and David Simpson Hospice House on Cleveland’s east side. For more information, visit hospicewr.org or call 800.707.8922.

Memorial Day: Remembering our Deceased Veterans

May 26, 2013

Memorial Day is the day set aside to honor America’s war dead. It was originally called “Decoration Day” in 1868 for the purpose of decorating the graves of Civil War veterans. Within twenty years, it was changed to Memorial Day in which all war dead are commemorated. It became a federal holiday in 1971. Some folks confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day which is always November 11 and honors all veterans both living and deceased. 

This year Memorial Day falls on May 27. Friends and family may be marking the unofficial start of summer and making plans for picnics and parades. However, for many recently bereaved, this day is a painful reminder of mothers, fathers, sons, daughter, brothers, sisters, friends and comrades who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice for what they believed in.  

This year reminisce about your deceased veteran by recalling their lives, their stories, their values. Honor them by paying respect and be grateful not only for their service but also for your relationship with them and their impact on your life.   

You can also visit the cemetery and place a flag or flowers on their grave, fly the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon or fly the POW/MIA flag. Participate in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.

If the veteran in your family is still living, you may be lucky enough to learn from his or her war experience. For many veterans, this is a difficult topic, but sharing the stories can be powerful and healing. Here are some sample questions from the veteran’s history project.

Click here.

• Were you drafted or did you enlist?
• What was your job/assignment?
• Did you see combat?
• Tell me about a couple of your most memorable experiences.
• How did you stay in touch with your family?
• What was the food like?
• Did you have plenty of supplies?
• Do you recall the day your service ended?
• Where were you?
• What did you do in the days and weeks afterward?
• Did you work or go back to school?
• Was your education supported by the G.I. Bill?

We were fortunate enough to have our Dad interviewed a few years before his death and now we have his recorded voice reciting his stories that we can share with future generations.

Click here to read more.

Please visit our online grief discussion groups.

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Bob Juzenas of Fairview Park Honored as “Health Care Hero”

May 21, 2013

Bob Juzenas, a Hospice of the Western Reserve volunteer for nearly four years, has been selected by Crain’s Cleveland Business and Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield as one of Greater Cleveland’s “Health Care Heroes.” Juzenas, a resident of Fairview Park, improves the quality of life for the many hospice patients he cares for by enabling them to remain living independently in their own homes.

 Juzenas frequently “sits vigil” and provides a comforting presence at the bedside of patients who are actively dying so that they are not alone, and offers companionship to those who are socially isolated.  Once, he even helped fulfill a wish for two of his patients by taking them fishing so they could try one last time to “catch the big one.” In addition to caring for hospice patients, he provides respite for family members so they can attend to their own medical appointments, run errands or take much-needed breaks.

“Bob meets every patient with an open mind, compassionate heart and comforting demeanor,” said Michele Gillum, Coordinator of Volunteers, Hospice of the Western Reserve. “He is not only available and willing to help with whatever is needed, but he makes each patient feel like the most important and valued person on earth.” 

On any given day, Juzenas is out and about caring for patients in communities west of Cleveland regardless of the weather. When one 84-year-old woman was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she had no idea how she was going to care for herself and her family. She was too weak to drive, and her daughter, who has epilepsy, was also unable to drive.  No one in the household was capable of managing the usual tasks, and there were no funds to pay for such services. Thanks to Juzenas’ volunteer assistance and support, she and her daughter were able to remain in their own home.

Juzenas also provides emotional support and companionship and serves as a valued liaison to the rest of the hospice’s clinical care team. One day, a patient confided that she did not have any food in her home and had no idea where the family’s next meal would come from. Juzenas immediately cleared his schedule for the afternoon. He alerted Hospice of the Western Reserve’s staff so resources could be quickly mobilized to meet both emergency and long-term needs. By the end of the day, the patient had a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator.

Juzenas’s genuine kindness and friendly demeanor encourage those he cares for to open up to him and share their stories so he can help them with important legacy work.  Currently, he is helping a patient create a book documenting the story of his life to leave behind as a lasting memento for his family.

 About Hospice of the Western Reserve

Celebrating 35 years of service, Hospice of the Western Reserve is a nationally ranked non-profit agency providing comfort and emotional support to patients and their families. The agency provides palliative end-of-life care, caregiver support and bereavement services throughout the region, and cares for people in a variety of settings, including private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, at Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake and David Simpson Hospice House on Cleveland’s east side. For more information, visit hospicewr.org or call 800.707.8922.

Everybody has a “what if”

May 16, 2013

Everyone has a “what if.”  What if I drove instead of him? What if  I didn’t put her in the nursing home? What if we went with the feeding tube? What if I told her how much I loved and needed her? What if?  What then?

Guilt. It is a feeling that many people experience after the death of a loved one. Not only are there what ifs, but there are also should haves, could haves, would haves and if onlys. People generally make the best decision they can with the information that they have. Hindsight is 20/20 and can be a dangerous thing. People second-guess themselves and experience pangs of guilt.

The bottom line is that it is okay to experience feelings of guilt. Feelings are not right or wrong, good or bad. Guilt may or may not be illogical. The important thing is to understand it and cope with it. If guilt is unrecognized or unattended to, it can cause unhappiness and poor health. It can consume you. Engaging with feelings of guilt in a healthy way can be transformative in the grief process.  Click here to read more.

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Our Adopted School

May 16, 2013

Woven into the fabric of the community, Hospice of the Western Reserve supports and cares for neighbors in addition to patients and families. The Hannah Gibbons Elementary School is located just east of the headquarters building on St. Clair and has approximately 350 students.

As in all elementary schools in Ohio, the students took the State of Ohio Achievement Tests in April. Hospice of the Western Reserve learned that many students would not have snacks to sustain them during the long hours of test taking, so decided to help.

“Friday dress down” funds were collected to purchase testing day snacks and school supply donation boxes were set up throughout Hospice Headquarters. This morning, the school principal dropped off “thank you” notes from the children (pictured here).

Staff and volunteers are excited about this new community partnership and look forward to many other opportunities with Hannah Gibbons as a strong and lasting relationship continues to grow!

Ice Cream Social June 8 Provides Positive Way to Honor and Memorialize Dads, Father Figures

May 15, 2013

Father’s Day can be painful for those who have lost a father or father figure. Memories come flooding back. Feelings of grief and loss are often intensified on this special holiday dedicated to honoring dads.  To help those who are grieving, the Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Bereavement Center is hosting a pre-Father’s Day Ice Cream Social on Saturday, June 8, 1 to 3 p.m., at Ames Family Hospice House, 30080 Hospice Way in Westlake (just north of the I-90 interchange, between Holiday Inn and Bonne Bell on Crocker Rd.).  Anyone who has experienced the loss of a father or father figure is welcome to attend the free community event — no connection to hospice is necessary.  To register for the free event, call Felicia at 216.486.6335.

Activities will be held outdoors, on the patio at Ames Family Hospice House, weather permitting.  A commemorative art activity is planned (no experience is necessary), Lorain’s Golden Crescent Chorus  barbershop quartet will perform, and an ice cream sundae bar will be provided by Mitchell’s Ice Cream. A spiritual care coordinator from Hospice of the Western Reserve will share brief stories about his own experiences of losing his dad. Participants are encouraged to bring photos of their fathers or father figures to display on a table of remembrance for a short memorial reading of names.  All those who attend are encouraged to enjoy the flowering perennial gardens and stroll the wooded trails located throughout the grounds following the presentation.

About Hospice of the Western Reserve

Celebrating 35 years of service in the Northern Ohio region, Hospice of the Western Reserve is a nationally ranked non-profit agency providing comfort and emotional support to patients and their families. The agency provides palliative end-of-life care, caregiver support and bereavement services throughout the region, and cares for people in a variety of settings, including private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, at Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake and David Simpson Hospice House on Cleveland’s east side. For more information, visit http://www.hospicewr.org, or call 800.707.8922.

Hospice Organizations Team Up to Honor Local Veterans

May 14, 2013

Cleveland, Ohio (May 13, 2013) – Approximately 13,000 Medina County residents have defended our nation through their service in the Armed Forces. To honor their commitment, Hospice of the Western Reserve and HMC Hospice of Medina County have joined forces once again to host a Veterans Recognition Ceremony on Friday, June 7, at Weymouth Country Club in Medina. All Veterans, their families, friends, and active military personnel are encouraged to attend. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch at 11:15 a.m., and a program at 12 noon.  Reservations can be made online or by phone before June 1 by clicking here or calling 330. 722.4771.

Medina County Auditor, Commander Mike Kovack (U.S. Navy) will serve as Master of Ceremonies.  The two keynote speakers are volunteer Don Stark (U.S. Marine Corps), Hospice of the Western Reserve, and volunteer Lou Deloss (U.S. Air Force), HMC Hospice of Medina County. Both men will share their inspirational stories about what it means to them to serve their fellow Vets.  A highlight of the event will be a moving ceremony during which each Veteran will be personally recognized, honored with a commemorative pin, and thanked for his or her service to the country.

Hospice of the Western Reserve and HMC Hospice of Medina County are both committed to providing quality end-of-life care for Veterans by collaborating with VA and other Veterans’ organizations, increasing accessibility of hospice and palliative care services, and working with other hospices across the nation to implement best practice models.

Sponsors of the Veterans Recognition Ceremony include HMC BridgesHome Health Care, Medical Service Company, Life Care Center of Medina, Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center, attorney Marie Mirro Edmonds, Carlson Funeral Homes, Medina Village, Waite & Son Funeral Homes and S&S Benefits.

 About Hospice of the Western Reserve

Celebrating 35 years of service in the Northern Ohio region, Hospice of the Western Reserve is a nationally ranked non-profit agency providing comfort and emotional support to patients and their families. The agency provides palliative end-of-life care, caregiver support and bereavement services throughout the region, and cares for people in a variety of settings, including private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, at Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake and David Simpson Hospice House on Cleveland’s east side. For more information, click here, or call 800.707.8922.

About HMC Hospice of Medina County

HMC Hospice of Medina County has dedicated more than 30 years to providing expert, compassionate and responsive hospice and palliative care throughout Medina, Summit and surrounding counties. Our services include expert medical care as well as emotional, spiritual and bereavement support from an extensive, coordinated team of professionals and volunteers. We offer a full continuum of care with hospice, palliative and home health care services. HMC Hospice of Medina County also operates HMC Barberton Hospice & Palliative Care, HMC BridgesHome Health Care, HMC The Robertson Bereavement Center and HMC Life’s Treasures Thrift Shop. For more information, click here or contact us at 330.722.4771.

LGBT Art Therapy Group Provides Safe Haven for Grieving Loss of Partner

May 9, 2013

Cleveland, Ohio (May 9, 2013) — Grieving the loss of a loved one is always difficult, but it can be exceptionally challenging for members of the LGBT community. Hospice of the Western Reserve’s Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Bereavement Center (ESPBC), 300 E. 185^th St., Cleveland, offers an ongoing LGBT art therapy bereavement group the last Tuesday of every month, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., to help those who are grieving the loss of a partner.

The group provides a safe haven for expressing grief, honoring loves ones and finding healing support among others on the same journey. The sessions are free; a $5 donation is suggested to cover the cost of art supplies. To register, call Mollie Postotnik at 216-486-6544, or email her at mpostotnik@hospicewr.org.

“When a life partner dies, additional wounds can sometimes be inflicted by family members, in-laws, coworkers and others who do not understand or honor the surviving partner’s loss,” explained Mollie Postotnik, art therapist, who leads the small group sessions. “Life partners may feel disenfranchised, left out or alone at a time when they are exceptionally vulnerable.” 

Postotnik said participants work on a variety of projects to help acknowledge their feelings, honor memories and look toward the future as they begin the healing process. No special artistic skills are required, and no connection to hospice is necessary. “Anyone who has lost a partner or a family member is welcome,” she added.

Projects include symbolically building and crossing the threshold of a “Door to Tomorrow,” capturing memories in a collage, designing a sun catcher to honor loved ones and creating  unique Ojo de Dios (“Eye of God”) wall hangings.  

About Hospice of the Western Reserve

Celebrating 35 years of service in the Northern Ohio region, Hospice of the Western Reserve is a nationally ranked non-profit agency providing comfort and emotional support to patients and their families. The agency provides palliative end-of-life care, caregiver support and bereavement services throughout the region, and cares for people in a variety of settings, including private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, at Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake and David Simpson Hospice House on Cleveland’s east side. For more information, visit http://www.hospicewr.org/, or call 800.707.8922.