Cocoa with the Claus'

Kick off the holiday season with Cocoa with Claus' on Sunday, December 4, 1-3 p.m. at the Victorian Square Atrium in downtown Lexington! Children can have their photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus, make lots of crafts, enjoy musical entertainment by SCAPA students, and a cocoa bar and treats offered by Desha's. There will also be a raffle for an IPod Touch and Razer Scooter. Admission is $10 per child (favorite adults are free) and all proceeds benefit the pediatric patients served by Daniel's Care, a program offered by of Hospice of the Bluegrass.

GoodGiving Guide 2011 Challenge

Join the Challenge! Hospice of the Bluegrass is participating in the GoodGiving Guide Challenge 2011, making us eligible for thousands of dollars in cash prizes!

To help us compete for cash and prizes, we need a minimum of 50 friends and supporters, like you, to donate at least $25 each to Hospice via GoodGivingGuide.net before 11:59 p.m. on December 31.

What is the GoodGiving Guide Challenge? It’s a new partnership between Blue Grass Community Foundation and Smiley Pete Publishing (Chevy Chaser Magazine, Southsider Magazine and Business Lexington) to promote online charitable giving to local causes. In addition to the GoodGiving Guide’s online efforts, Smiley Pete Publishing developed a print edition of the Guide, which provides detailed profiles of 58 Lexington nonprofits, including Hospice of the Bluegrass.

The faster you give online, the greater Hospice’s chance of winning. Plus there are many great incentive prizes for donors who give through the Challenge. A complete list of nonprofit and donor incentives will be available on the Challenge website.

So, the race is on for Hospice of the Bluegrass to attract as many online donors as we can! You can go directly to GoodGivingGuide.net and make your gift to Hospice of the Bluegrass. After making your gift, please tell your friends, family and colleagues about us and the GoodGiving Guide Challenge!

Thanks so much for supporting the patients and families served by Hospice of the Bluegrass!

Lexington Athletic Club Fundraiser Supports Hospice of the Bluegrass

Join Lexington Athletic Club's Group Exercise program on November 12, 2011 at 8:30 am for a fundraiser benefitting Hospice of the Bluegrass.

Some of Lexington’s finest instructors will join together to provide 2 hours of motivating and exhilarating exercise. Come join us and do something good for yourself while doing something great for Hospice of the Bluegrass.

For more information, see the Lexington Athletic Club front desk, or call 273-3163.

Hospice of the Bluegrass Recognized as a We Honor Veterans Partner

Hospice of the Bluegrass is proud to be a Level Three Partner with the national We Honor Veterans campaign. It may surprise many people to learn that 25 percent of those who die every year in the U.S. are Veterans. To help provide care and support that reflect the important contributions made by these men and women, Hospice of the Bluegrass has become a national partner of We Honor Veterans, a pioneering campaign developed by National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Hospice of the Bluegrass has met stringent requirements that will help improve the care their team of professionals and volunteers provide to the Veterans they proudly serve. The nation is seeing many of the Veterans who served in World War II and Korean pass away—and the number of deaths of Vietnam Veterans is beginning to rise.

The We Honor Veterans campaign provides tiered recognition to organizations that demonstrate a systematic commitment to improving care for Veterans. “Partners” can assess their ability to serve Veterans and, using resources provided as part of the campaign, integrate best practices for providing end-of-life care to Veterans into their organization. By recognizing the unique needs of our nation’s Veterans who are facing a life-limiting illness, Hospice of the Bluegrass is able to accompany and guide Veterans and their families toward a more peaceful ending. And in cases where there might be some specific needs related to the Veteran’s military service, combat experience or other traumatic events, Hospice of the Bluegrass will find tools to help support those they are caring for.

“All hospices are serving Veterans but often aren’t aware of that person’s service in the armed forces,” said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO. “Through We Honor Veterans we are taking a giant step forward in helping hospice and palliative care providers understand and serve Veterans at the end of life and work more effectively with VA medical facilities in their communities.”

“VA shares a common goal with our nation’s hospices, and that is to provide the best possible care specifically tailored for Veterans, meeting their goals of care in their preferred setting. As we focus on working together and unite our services and skills, We Honor Veterans will channel our combined strengths directly to Veterans - wherever they are receiving care.”

The resources of We Honor Veterans focus on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening, and grateful acknowledgment, coupled with Veteran-centric education of health care staff caring for Veterans. To learn more about We Honor Veterans or to support this important work via a secure, online donation, please visit www.wehonorveterans.org.

“America’s Veterans have done everything asked of them in their mission to serve our country and we believe it is never too late to give them a hero’s welcome home. Now it is time that we step up, acquire the necessary skills and fulfill our mission to serve these men and women with the dignity they deserve,” added Schumacher.

BB&T Bank Provides Renovation at Hospice Care Center in Lexington

BB&T Bank recently learned that the family room at Hospice of the Bluegrass’ Care Center located in St. Joseph Hospital was in need of a makeover. They immediately went into action.

Employees from the BB&T Beaumont Branch and BB&T Insurance Group planned a renovation that included new paint, cabinets, a refrigerator, television and new furniture. “The transformation is amazing,” said Debbie Perkins, director of the Hospice Care Center. “The room is warm and inviting. Our families will be comfortable here. We are so thankful to BB&T for providing such a special place.”

There are 17 patient rooms at the Hospice Care Center. The family room is important because it is used by those who are visiting and caring for someone in the Hospice Care Center. It provides a quiet place for families to eat, watch television or relax.

BB&T also donated the funds needed to complete the project. “We had a lot of fun,” said Vanessa Current, Financial Center Leader. “Helping our community prosper is one of BB&T’s key missions. We are blessed to work for a company that places such an emphasis on the things that matter.”

Camp Echo & Camp Hope Join in 2011

Camp ECHO and Camp Hope will join this year as a weekend retreat where children find a safe place to share experiences, come to understand that their feelings are normal, and develop skills to cope with grief in healthy ways. This special camp is for children between the ages of 6 and 12 who have experienced the death of a loved one within the past two years. Click here to learn more and to download a camp application or a volunteer application.

‘I Feel the Same’: Specialized Grief Groups Offer Solace

They’re sometimes called “the forgotten grievers.” They’ve suffered losses that their friends and family may not fully appreciate: the death of the child during pregnancy, the loss of a gay or lesbian partner, a child-loss due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

“Many of these people suffer from disenfranchised grief – grief that the culture does not fully recognize,” says HOB bereavement counselor Sharon Martin. “At Hospice, we want to make sure that everyone is accepted, whoever they happen to be grieving.”

For that reason, Martin and others in HOB’s counseling department have developed specialized grief groups that are geared toward those who may feel uncomfortable – or uncomforted – in mainstream grief-recovery groups.

One of those specialized groups is HOB’s Gay/Lesbian/Transgender Group. Martin says she started the group because Hospice wanted to meet the needs of those who might feel awkward in a mainstream spouse-loss group. “Being in a mainstream group, there may be some hesitation to mention that you are gay,” Martin says. The gay/lesbian group “reduces that anxiety.”

Martin recalls one woman who lost her partner of many years, but didn’t feel comfortable sharing her grief with her own mother, who hadn’t approved of the daughter’s relationship. Attending the gay/lesbian group, the bereaved woman found others who shared her experience, Martin said, and she got the support she needed.

Martin also co-leads a SIDS/Infant Loss Group. Members of this group – mostly the bereaved parents of infants who have died – report a variety of sometimes hurtful comments from friends and family. Some people say to them: “It’s good that you have other children,” or “Thank goodness that you’re young enough to get pregnant again.” Martin says that in the SIDS/Infant Loss Group, “We assure the parents that we understand the depth of their loss.”

Martin’s co-leader, Mary DePaola, an HOB grief counselor, said that losing a child to SIDS often has unique stresses. “A lot of parents have to go through a police investigation, which can be very difficult,” DePaola says. “They often feel a great sense of guilt and self-blame. ‘If I had only done this, my child might be alive.’ They may lose confidence in
themselves as parents.”

In addition, she says, parents who have lost a baby often feel anxious as they start another pregnancy. “There’s a lot of stress on the couple and on the family,” DePaola said.

Debbie Mueller, a nurse at Central Baptist Hospital, contracts with Hospice to offer another specialized group: the Perinatal Grief Group. This group has been meeting monthly for 25 years, serving mostly parents who have lost a child during pregnancy.

“I’m from Kentucky, and in our culture, we don’t like to share our problems,” Mueller says. “We can
be suspicious of support groups. But all of us at some point need to be with others who can say, ‘I feel the same way.’ That’s why these groups are so important.”

The monthly perinatal group features speakers on such topics as “Fathers and Grief,” “Grief vs. Depression” and “Spiritual Issues and Perinatal Loss.”

The group interactions can be life-changing experiences, Mueller added. She said that one woman who came to the perinatal support group later decided to go to medical school and specialize in perinatal-loss research. Mueller says, “Her motivation was to help others, to support families going through what she did.”

Unacknowledged grief may also occur at times when others are celebrating – for example, on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Mary McKenzie, a bereavement counselor in HOB’s Cynthiana office, says these holidays may be deeply sad times for parent-less people. To address that, she leads Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Remembrance Days each May and June. Several other offices hold special remembrances including Our Mother’s Legacy in Northern Kentucky.

Bonnie Meyer, director of bereavement and spiritual care for HOB, says her department is always open to new grief-group needs. All groups are supported through generous donations from the communities.

For more information on when and where groups meet, please contact the HOB office in your area, check the Support Group Listings or you can contact Martin Weinstock, bereavement office manager, at (800) 876-6005.

Mountain Community Hospice Volunteers win Awards at National Leadership Conference

Phi Beta Lambda is an organization that is open to all majors who have an interest in business. The main goal of the organization is to provide a service to their community. The local Alice Lloyd College chapter of PBL competed at the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida in June 2011. Members Kodi Faine, Tiffany Owens, and Halie Smith provided a presentation in the Community Service event highlighting their involvement with Camp Hope through Mountain Community Hospice - Hazard, Ky. Out of approximately 25 groups (from a variety of regions) in this event, Alice Lloyd College was awarded first place! The judges were so touched by the Camp Hope presentation and commented on how well the students represented Eastern Kentucky and Hospice of the Bluegrass. They also expressed emotionally what a wonderful program Camp Hope must be. Thank you Kodi Faine, Tiffany Owens, and Halie Smith and congratulations on your national recognition for your volunteer service to Hospice of the Bluegrass.

Greg and Noreen Wells Hospice Care Center Opens in Hazard

Hospice of the Bluegrass-Mountain Community opened the Greg and Noreen Wells Hospice Care Center May 3. 2011. The center is named in honor of the Wells who made the lead gift to the building’s capital campaign.

“Noreen and I are very grateful to be a part of this incredible gift that Hospice of the Bluegrass has presented to the people of Hazard as well as the whole region,” said Greg Wells, chairman of 1st Trust Bank in Hazard. “The great service Hospice provides will be enhanced so much by these new facilities.”

The Hospice Care Center will serve Breathitt, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Morgan, Perry and Wolfe counties and will add approximately 60 new jobs to the area. 

“We had many champions on this project but Greg and Noreen Wells in particular have made a great impact,” said Gretchen Brown, Hospice of the Bluegrass President/CEO. “Greg’s vision and leadership are in part why we are here today.  We were honored when he told us that he and his wife would give the lead gift for the capital campaign and name the building.”

Hospice of the Bluegrass – Mountain Community will continue to provide excellent service to patients at home.  The new Center will offer a setting for terminally ill patients who need more complex care, when death is approaching and care in the home is not preferred, or when a family needs respite from daily intensive care of their loved one.  Patient stays are usually brief - five to seven days.

Monica Couch, director of Hospice of the Bluegrass-Mountain Community, says that having the Hospice Care Center provides a valuable option. It offers family and friends 24 hour visitation and encourages them to remain involved in the patient’s care.  Comfort is a priority for patients and their loved ones.  “We’ll provide cutting-edge care in a serene atmosphere,” said Couch.

The 20,000 square foot Hospice Care Center is lodge-like with beautiful stone and timber. It includes 12 patient suites, common areas for families, counseling rooms and offices.

“Hospice care is available to every family,” Couch adds.“It is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private health-insurance policies, and those who are uninsured, or unable to pay, are not turned away. And, the hospice care is provided by fellow Eastern Kentuckians.” According to Couch, most Hospice of the Bluegrass-Mountain Communityemployees and volunteers are from the mountain counties.

For information on donating to or volunteering with the Hospice Care Center, contact Hospice of the Bluegrass – Mountain Community at (606) 439-2111 or (800) 560-1101. Click here to learn more about the Greg and Noreen Wells Hospice Care Center.

Hospice In Frankfort Has a New Home

Hospice of the Bluegrass has significantly expanded its facilities and moved into its new 21,000 square foot campus at 643 and 663 Teton Trail in Frankfort, Kentucky on April 1. The new campus will enhance services provided by Hospice to its four-county service area that includes Anderson, Franklin, Owen and Woodford counties.

The new campus includes two buildings. The Clinical Building, located at 663 Teton Trail, will house clinical and administrative staff and will be the centralized communication hub for the eleven teams who serve patients and their families. Only steps away is the Community Building, located at 643 Teton Trail, which will house the community outreach arm of Hospice.

 “We hope the building will become a place where the entire community will feel welcome”, says Dora Hall, the Frankfort Office Site Director. “The Community Building has a warm feeling, with a calm water fountain in the waiting area, a large training room for community meetings, and even a children’s art room where grieving children can find ways to express their emotions.” The art room includes a mural of the four seasons, painted by Kentucky artist, Janet Cornett, and is a beautiful addition to the facility.

An Open House is planned for June 14th, 2011 from 4 to 6 p.m. for the general public to view the campus and learn more about Hospice’s mission and programs.

It is only through the generous support of the community that this expansion has become reality. Starting with the donation of one of the buildings by the Meyer Family and Karen Wood, the $2.5 million building campaign to renovate the facilities is nearing successful completion.

“We’re thankful for the support of individuals and business in all four counties who’ve given so generously to improve hospice services for the community”, says Bruce Brooks, Capital Campaign Chair for Hospice of the Bluegrass, Frankfort. “We welcome others to show support for the project through their financial gifts. There are still many opportunities to make a gift to the project.”

On moving day, the movers loaded hundreds of file boxes, equipment and furniture, but they also moved memories. The current memorial garden, a quiet space to reflect, is now situated behind the downtown office buildings. It will be moved as well, and relocated in a newly designed memorial garden in front of the clinical building. New pavers will be available for community members to remember a loved one and add to the garden in front of the community building.

Hospice of the Bluegrass’ nonprofit mission is to provide the highest quality interdisciplinary care to all terminally ill patients, the bereaved and their families.

Electronic Newsletters Delivered to Your E-mail Inbox

In an effort to reduce printing and postage costs and to be a bit greener, Hospice of the Bluegrass has set up a new online process for sending newsletters electronically. Two of the regular newsletters: Reaching Out and Volunteer Voices can now be sent directly to your in box. To sign up for the e-newsletters, click here. If you choose to receive Reaching Out and/or Volunteer Voices electronically, please complete the online registration form. Include your home address, so we can properly record your information and remove you from the postal mailing list for Reaching Out or Volunteer Voices. We recognize there may be some concern about confidentiality of e-mail addresses you share with us. Hospice does not share or sell information.

 

Ground broken on 5191 Remembrance at Arboretum

Ground was broken at The Arboretum today for the 5191 Artist Remembrance, a sculpture that will be located in the Reflection Garden developed by Hospice of the Bluegrass.

The sculpture is a tribute to the 49 people who died in the crash of Flight 5191 four years ago. The goal of the Flight 5191 Commission is to have the Remembrance in place on the fifth anniversary of the crash, Aug. 27, 2011.

Joining the families of the victims for the ground-breaking ceremony were Governor Steve Beshear, Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry, and representatives of Hospice of the Bluegrass, the Red Cross, the United Way and The Arboretum

“This is a somber day of remembrance for Kentucky,” said Governor Beshear. “The loss of our friends and loved ones on Flight 5191 is still painful, but we pledge to honor their memory. This memorial site allows all Kentuckians an opportunity to pay their respects and reflect on the lives lost too soon.”

Mayor Newberry agreed. “The loss of 49 lives left a deep mark our entire community,” Mayor Newberry said. “There has been an outpouring of support for the surviving families that has continued year after year. This sculpture will ensure that we never forget.”

Douwe Blumberg a sculptor and Kentucky resident designed a powerful artistic memorial; standing seventeen feet tall the sculpture will have 49 stylized silver birds in flight sweeping heavenward.

Gerry van der Meer and Ray Garman, co-chairs of the 5191 Commission, said the Commission has raised approximately $250,000 toward the purchase and install the sculpture. Governor Beshear has appropriated $100,000 in state funds; Mayor Newberry is proposing that the city contribute $25,000.

Citizens who are interested in donating may send their checks, made out to Flight 5191 Memorial Commission, to the Bluegrass Community Foundation, 250 W. Main St., Suite 1220, Lexington, 40507. Donations are also accepted on-line. Go to www.bgcf.org and click on “donate now.”

The Arboretum State Botanical Garden is a joint project of the University of Kentucky and the city of Lexington. It is located at 500 Alumni Drive.

Lexington Herald Leader Article

Kentuckians Deserve the MOST!

Hospice of the Bluegrass, taking the lead in advocating for the best care for people at the end-of life, is piloting the use of a new kind of advance care directive called theMOST (Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment) document with our patients and their families. Our goal in the short term is to determine whether or not use of this new document will promote concordance of treatment received by patients with their informed preferences.

Read more about MOST here.

Cocoa with the Claus'

Cocoa with the Claus’, a special event to benefit Daniel’s Care, was held on Sunday, December 5, 2010.

Holiday activities featured at this event included: photos with Santa & Mrs. Claus, photo frame and ornament crafts, face-painting and more! Students from the School for Creative and Performing Arts performed holiday songs and three songs from the screenplay “Looking for Mrs. Claus.”

Refreshments were donated by DeSha’s, which included a cocoa bar filled with treats to include in the hot cocoa.

In addition to the activities, there are three items for raffle—an Apple Ipod Touch, Melissa & Doug Multi-Level Doll House, and Child-size Golf Cart. Raffle tickets are $5 each. The drawing will be held on December 14 at noon.

Purchase raffle tickets at the Hospice of the Bluegrass Office in Lexington.

For more information, please call (859) 276-4404.

Day of the Dead Festival

Hospice of the Bluegrass was a sponsor for the Living Arts & Science Center's Day of the Dead Festival on November 1, 2010 at the Living Arts & Science Center.

The altar pictured above was created by staff Laina Miller, Cheryl Barnes, and Yessenia Ramage and is called "stages," each side representing a life progression: childhood, mid-life, death, and hereafter.

Run to Remember

Please support our friends as they Run to Remember. Team King Street will be running 200 miles in the upcoming Bourbon Chase. Over the two day race, we will "Run to Remember" those we loved and have cared for. By participating in this race, we can raise money for both the National Hospice Foundation and Hospice of the Bluegrass. Please join us in supporting Hospice of the Bluegrass by donating today!

Hospice of the Bluegrass receives funding from the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels!

On September 14, representatives from Hospice of the Bluegrass attended the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels Grant Party where over 55 agencies received notification of funding. HOB received notification of funding for specialized equipment and wall hangings for the new pediatric room at the Hospice Care Center located in St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington. Debbie Perkins, Director of the Hospice Care Center accepted the fund letter from the Kentucky Colonels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAS Crusade for Children

On September 1, Donna Armstrong and Darryl Stith accepted a donation from WHAS Crusade for Children. This special gift will provide adaptive equipment for Daniel's Care, the pediatric program at Hospice of the Bluegrass.

 

Hospice of the Bluegrass Receives Grant from the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education

Hospice of the Bluegrass is proud to announce receipt of an $8,500 program award by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. This award will assist in making clinical pastoral education more accessible to parish clergy and chaplains in Southeastern Kentucky.

As a leading provider of hospice care to terminally ill patients and families in 32 counties in Central, Northern, and Southeastern Kentucky, Hospice of the Bluegrass recognizes the significant need for clinically trained hospice chaplains. For over ten years, HOB has coordinated an accredited ACPE program.

Hospice of the Bluegrass has long valued the presence of clergy equipped with effective end-of-life care skills so that all patients might have competent spiritual care at the end of life no matter their location. “With this grant from the ACPE, Hospice of the Bluegrass now has the capability to expand the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program to Southeastern Kentucky. This provides a unique opportunity to increase the availability of clinical education for local parish pastors, hospital chaplains, and hospice chaplains,” states Carol Green ACPE Coordinator at HOB. This program is available for clergy persons interested in further development of their skills in pastoral care and end of life care.

CPE is a four hundred hour course which includes a minimum of 100 hours of direct instruction with the remaining hours in ministry assignments. This fourteen week unit begins Monday, September 13 and ends Tuesday, December 21. The program requires a commitment of 29 hours per week of ministry and instructional time which may include service to a local church.

Applications are currently being accepted which includes a written application, $50 non-refundable application fee, and an admissions interview with the CPE Supervisor and a member of the Professional Consultation Committee. Applications are available at www.hospicebg.org.

For more information about Clinical Pastoral Education please visit www.hospicebg.org or contact Ken McCollough at 859-276-5344.

About the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc:
ACPE is a professional association committed to advancing experience-based theological education for seminarians, clergy and lay persons of diverse cultures, ethnic groups and faith traditions. ACPE programs promote the integration of personal history, faith tradition and the behavioral sciences in the practice of spiritual care.

Grants Supporting Access to Hospice and Palliative Care for Rural and Homeless Veterans Awarded for a Second Year by National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has announced six grant recipients in the second year of its Reaching Out grants program funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Reaching Out grants were created to support innovative programs committed to increasing access to hospice and palliative care for rural and homeless veterans. The grants serve a two-fold purpose; not only do they support specific, community-based programs, but the lessons learned by grant awardees will help the VA in discovering new ways to reach veterans who are homeless or living in rural areas and in need of quality end-of-life care.

In the first year of the Reaching Out program, 18 grants were awarded to organizations across the country. These original grant recipients were providers working collaboratively with their own community partnerships on innovative programs expanding awareness and access to hospice and palliative care for veterans.

Reports documenting the results of these projects, the challenges faced, and plans for sustainability were submitted to NHPCO in January, 2010. These 18 recipients were then invited to apply for a second year of funding to continue and expand the work of the original projects.

From the original group, six providers were awarded Reaching Out grants for year two:

  • Arkansas Hospice, Inc., Little Rock, AR
  • California Hospice Foundation, Sacramento, CA
  • Delaware Hospice, Inc., Wilmington, DE
  • Hospice of the Bluegrass, Lexington, KY
  • Hospice of Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN
  • LINK of Hampton Roads, Inc., Newport News, VA

“There is no better way to learn best practices in reaching rural and homeless veterans than looking closely at providers who are successful in providing care and already engaged in community partnerships,” said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO. “We are proud to be working with the Department of Veterans Affairs and applaud its commitment to making sure veterans have access to the highest quality care at the end of life.”

Many Americans are unaware that more than 50,000 veterans die each month; that’s roughly 28 percent of all deaths in the United States. Nearly 40 percent of enrolled veterans live in areas that are considered rural, where community hospices and VA palliative care programs are often not readily available. On any given night, more than 131,000 veterans are without shelter and lack basic healthcare. Ensuring that all veterans receive compassionate, quality care at the end-of-life is a priority of NHPCO and the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospice and Palliative Care Program.

Hospice care is part of the basic eligibility package for veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Hospice services also are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, most managed care organizations, private insurance plans, and HMOs. However, like majority of the American public, most veterans don’t know that these options exist.

Hospice of the Bluegrass Receives Quality of Life Grant from Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

Hospice of the Bluegrass is proud to announce that it has received a $4,100 Quality of Life grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. The Reeve Foundation awarded $520,000 in Quality of Life grants to 75 non-profit organizations within the United States and Canada. Created by the late Dana Reeve in 1999, the Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Grants are awarded twice a year to non-profit organizations that provide services and programs to individuals living with paralysis. Close to 1,600 grants totaling nearly $13 million have been awarded to organizations since the program’s inception.

Hospice of the Bluegrass will use the grant for the purchase of a crib bed for the Daniel’s Care Pediatric Palliative and Hospice Care program. This crib bed will allow HOB to convert a Hospice Care Center adult patient room into a pediatric room. Access to this room will provide respite to caregivers.

“Hospice of the Bluegrass is honored to receive this award from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. HOB has been caring for children for over 30 years, and this award will enable us to expand respite and end-of-life care services for families by providing a room at the Hospice Care Center. Respite care can be critical in the quality of life for the patient and caregiver,” states Gretchen Brown, Hospice of the Bluegrass President and CEO.

“The Quality of Life program that Dana Reeve created eleven years ago is based on freedom,” said Peter T. Wilderotter, president and CEO of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. “We are happy to be able to support Hospice of the Bluegrass to provide support for those living with paralysis along with their families and caregivers.”

The Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life grants are divided into three categories, Actively Achieving, Bridging Barriers and Caring and Coping. Some grants are funded through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Award #1U59DD000338), and are awarded to nonprofit organizations that address the needs of people living with paralysis caused by spinal cord and other injuries, diseases and birth conditions.

About the Reeve Foundation
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. For more information, and to review the entire list of Quality of Life grant recipients, please visit their website at www.ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-225-0292.


Hospice of the Bluegrass Physician Chosen to Serve on Joint Commission Committee

Dr. Todd Coté, Chief Medical Officer at Hospice of the Bluegrass, has been chosen as the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) Representative to serve on the Joint Commission's Home Care Professional and Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC). The PTAC plays an essential role in providing advice about the standards and survey procedures for specific accreditation programs. In inviting the Academy to nominate Dr. Coté as the representative, the Board of Commissioners stated, "the expertise of AAHPM will enhance the Joint Commission's ability to promote high standards in the delivery of health care services." Dr. Coté also serves on the Academy's Business Practice Task Force and Medical Director Education Committee.

Hospice of the Bluegrass Nominates Northern Kentucky Couple for National Philanthropy Day

In celebration of National Philanthropy Day, Mark and Sue Grimme of Ft. Thomas, were honored by Hospice of the Bluegrass for their generous giving.

The Grimmes were recognized on for contributing to Hospice’s recent Northern Kentucky capital campaign, and for past giving that included publishing 5,000 copies of Final Gifts. It’s a book that helped them through losses in their lives; the copies are now available free to HOB patients and families.

Until about four years ago, the word “hospice” had only bad associations for Mark Grimme, a businessman. “Hospice meant the end. It meant that all hope was gone,” he said.

But then Grimme’s mother-in-law, Miriam “Min” Lampe, spent her last days at the Hospice of the Bluegrass – Northern Kentucky Care Center. Only 14 months afterward, his father-in-law, John “Jack” Lampe, also died at the Care Center. “In such a short time, I realized how comforting Hospice was,” Grimme says. “It was a peaceful, spiritual place. You felt good when you were there.”

Since then, the Grimmes have made gifts to help create and furnish Hospice headquarters in Florence. Their donations went for the HOB library, counseling rooms and public space, as well as for more beds in the Care Center located at St. Luke Hospital East.

Both Mark and Sue also have trained to be Hospice volunteers. “For our family,” Sue Grimme says, “Hospice made the dying process a beautiful one instead of a tortured one. That’s a real gift.”

The Grimmes said they struggled with the decision to be public about their giving to Hospice; they didn’t want to call unnecessary attention to themselves. But, according to Mark, they concluded: “By being public, we can open a dialogue with friends about what Hospice is and why it’s so valuable. We hope that others who see us giving will consider giving too.”

Thank You, Volunteers!

In honor of National Volunteer Week, Hospice of the Bluegrass extends heartfelt appreciation for all volunteers who share precious time and talents. Last year, Hospice volunteers dedicated over 41,000 hours! In addition to the gift of time, volunteers--encourage families, care for patients and inspire employees.

Thank you for being the Heart of Hospice!

Do You have an Advance Directive?
National Healthcare Decisions Day Set for April 16, 2010

Hospice of the Bluegrass, along with other national, state and community organizations, are leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16, 2010 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). As a participating organization, Hospice of the Bluegrass is providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives (healthcare power of attorney and living will) in accordance with Kentucky state laws. These resources are available at www.hospicebg.org “Download a KY Living Will Packet” and/or at www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.

Each Hospice of the Bluegrass office is planning special activities open to the public throughout the day with free information about advance care planning and advance directive forms. Please contact your local office for exact locations.

“As a result of National Healthcare Decisions Day, many more people in our community can be expected to have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known,” said Sherri Weisenfluh, Associate Vice President of Counseling. “Fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient, and healthcare providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance healthcare planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor patient wishes when the time comes to do so.”

For more information about National Healthcare Decision Day, please visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.

Good Foods to Partner with Hospice of the Bluegrass during January and February

Good Foods Market & Café on Southland Drive will accept donations as part of the Give Where You Live Program in support of Hospice of the Bluegrass, an organization that provides quality end of life care across 32 Kentucky counties.

For 31 years, Hospice of the Bluegrass has provided quality end of life care across 32 Kentucky counties. Care is available by a multidisciplinary team which includes the patient’s physician. Eleven offices, two inpatient units, and telemedicine technology assure access to anyone desiring care and support during all phases of terminal illness. Hospice of the Bluegrass is a private, nonprofit organization, governed by a Board of Directors. Hospice is a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, is certified by Medicare and Medicaid, is licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and accredited by the Joint Commission.

As part of their commitment to the community, Good Foods Market & Café partners with a local nonprofit organization for a two month period to raise money for and awareness of the group's work in the community. The Give Where You Live Program is designed for organizations which promote social change in the areas of peace, human rights, and human needs. Donations made by shoppers at the register are matched with 25% of the total amount collected and presented to the organization.

Good Foods Co-op is a locally owned and operated cooperative business where everyone is welcome to shop at either of our locations - Good Foods Market & Café on Southland Drive or Good Foods Chapter 2 inside the downtown Lexington Public Library. Good Foods has served the Lexington community since 1972.

Hospice of the Bluegrass Participates in Lexington Film League Contest

Hospice of the Bluegrass has submitted a short film to the Do-ers Contest which is a project of the Lexington Film League featuring local film makers and good works in the community. The HOB film, Caring from the First Hello, was inspired by a local patient who wanted to express and share his experiences with the community.

Hospice of the Bluegrass is asking the community to VOTE for the Caring from the First Hello film. On People's Choice voting: There are two ways people in the community can vote on the videos. Send an email to lexfilmleague@gmail.com and include the title or featured organization in the subject. The community is also encouraged to attend the event at Natasha's and choose their winner from a ballot. The Do-ers Contest Screening and Award Ceremony will be held on Friday, February 26 from 6-8pm at Natasha’s Bistro in Lexington.

Remembering Dr. Sandlin

Dr. SandlinDear Friends,
As you may have heard, Dr. Sandlin was fatally shot on Tuesday, December 8 in his clinic near Hazard. This is a tragic and difficult loss for not only his family but the entire eastern Kentucky mountain communities. Dr. Sandlin was not only a beloved physician but one of the most supportive and endearing Community Medical Associates for Hospice of the Bluegrass.

He started hospice work in Hazard in 1984 and has been dedicated to his work with us since then. We and the eastern mountain communities saw him as our next leader to carry forth the good work at the new inpatient center and beyond. Please join me in supporting through prayer and thought, all our staff and all those so affected by this tragic loss, especially his family, colleagues and friends.

Todd R. Coté, MD,FAAHPM,FAAFP
Chief Medical Officer
Hospice of the Bluegrass

Kentuckian Gretchen Brown announced as Chair for NHPCO

Gretchen Brown, President and CEO of Hospice of the Bluegrass, has been elected as the 2009 NHPCO board-chair. She brings a wealth of hospice experience to this leadership role. At the December meeting of the NHPCO Board of Directors, held Thursday, December 11, the slate of board officers was approved and the members of the Board’s 2009 Executive Committee were officially installed.

Gretchen has been the President/CEO of Hospice of the Bluegrass since 1982. In addition to serving as the Chair of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), she serves on the Board of the Foundation for Hospices in Sub Saharan Africa (FHSSA). Ms. Brown is the past Chair of the National Hospice Work Group, a “think tank” composed of leaders from around the U.S. considered to be among the most influential authorities on end-of-life care in this country. Locally, she serves on the Bluegrass Mental Health/Mental Retardation Board and the UK College of Public Health, External Advisory Council. Ms. Brown received her BA and MSW from the UK. She has taught in the UK College of Social Work and presently serves as adjunct faculty in the UK College of Health Sciences.

“The NHPCO board brings a highly skilled group of professionals that represent the broad range of hospice and palliative care providers and related disciplines. Board members come from programs that vary in size, serve urban and rural areas, and represent single-site and multi-state providers. We also have expertise from academic institutions and other nonprofit organizations. We all share a common goal to improve care at the end of life,” said J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of NHPCO.

Kentuckian Receives National Recognition as Distinguished Social Work Practitioner

Hospice of the Bluegrass is honored to announce Sherri Weisenfluh, LCSW ACHP-SW, associate vice president counseling was recognized as a Distinguished Social Work Practitioner, at the National Academy Of Practice annual meeting held on March 28, 2009 in Alexandria Virginia. The National Academy of Practice is an interdisciplinary group, founded in 1988 to advise policymakers on health care.

Ms. Weisenfluh was recognized for her national work with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the Project on Death in America Social Work Leadership Development Grant and her lifelong commitment to the field of social work.

Deede Byrne Appointed to National Committee

Ms. Deede Byrne, Associate Vice President of Clinical Services at Hospice of the Bluegrass has been selected to serve on the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Public Policy Committee. Byrne has been appointed to a three-year term (2009-2011). NHPCO relies greatly on volunteer professionals to further the important work of advancing hospice and palliative care.

Ms. Byrne holds a BSW from the University of Kentucky and started working with Hospice of the Bluegrass in 1985. Today, Ms. Byrne is one of the clinical management team responsible for services provided at all HOB offices, and is responsible for overseeing compliance of the durable medical equipment department and volunteer services department.

Gov. Steve Beshear officially proclaims Sept. 22 as Falls Prevention Awareness Day

Gov. Steve Beshear officially proclaims Sept. 22 as Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Falls in the home are a significant and under-recognized health issue for older Kentuckians, causing many life-threatening injuries each year among the state’s senior citizens.

To further address the seriousness of falls, the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC) organized the Safe Aging Coalition along with several agencies and organizations, including the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH), the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services (DCBS), the Kentucky Department for Aging and Independent Living (DAIL), the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP), Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital and Hospice of the Bluegrass.

The purpose of the coalition is to form a more comprehensive and collaborative approach to keeping seniors healthy and independent by identifying and reducing risk factors for falling. The coalition also urges residents of the commonwealth to be mindful of potential injuries and take steps to prevent them.

“Injury prevention is extremely important at all stages of life,” said DPH Commissioner William D. Hacker, M.D. “For many older Kentuckians, certain types of injuries can be life threatening. Often, these are injuries that could have been prevented by taking simple, precautionary measures to avoid falls.”

“We know elderly people who have osteoporosis or arthritis are more at-risk of severe complications for a fall,” said DAIL Commissioner Deborah Anderson. “We want to let our residents know that there are steps that can be taken to reduce these risks.”
Nationally, falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three Americans age 65 and older experiences a fall each year.

According to KIPRC, in Kentucky, only one in seven older adults hospitalized due to a fall was routinely discharged home from the hospital, compared to two-thirds of patients under 65. Similarly, patients 65 and older were six times more likely than younger patients to be discharged from the hospital into a nursing home for intermediate or long-term care.

“For older adults, lowering the risk of falling is essential to preserve health and independence," said Julia Costich, director of KIPRC and chair and associate professor, Department of Health Management, UK College of Public Health. "Simple steps can lead to a safer environment and greater self-confidence.”

To prevent falls, older Kentuckians should adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Exercise regularly to increase strength and improve balance.
  • Ask a physician to review medications to reduce the risk of harmful side effects.
  • Have a vision check at least once a year.
  • Improve lighting in the home.
  • Reduce hazards in the home that can lead to falls.

“These simple precautions can make all the difference when it comes to staying safe, healthy and independent,” said Hacker.

For data on falls specific to your county, visit http://www.kspan.uky.edu/data.htm.

Hospice of the Bluegrass 1st Place Winner in the Lexington S&S Tire Blood Donor Charity Challenge!

More than 30 Kentucky charities generously participated in the 2nd annual S&S Tire Blood Donor Charity Challenge to support patients in Kentucky. The Kentucky Blood Center and S&S Tire challenged these charities to recruit blood donors from May 1-31. S&S Tire contributed $15,000 for the winners and runners ups.

The charities were divided into three regions – Lexington, Somerset and Pikeville – where Kentucky Blood Center operates donor centers. The two charities finishing with the most points in each region will win cash from S&S Tire – $3,500 and $1,500 respectively. Hospice of the Bluegrass was the winner in the Lexington region!

During Charity Challenge, 594 people registered to give blood in the name of a charity. Of those, 143 were first-time blood donors. Blood donations were made at donor centers and on mobile blood drives in many of the more than 60 counties Kentucky Blood Center serves.

Hospice of the Bluegrass offers sincere appreciation to all the blood donors from the Lexington, Somerset and Pikeville regions that chose HOB as their charity in this special blood drive.

Social Workers Introduce Much Anticipated Baccalaureate Level Hospice Credential

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has partnered with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) to develop a baccalaureate level credential for social workers who specialize in hospice and palliative care. The Certified Hospice and Palliative Social Worker (CHP-SW) designation is now available for bachelor’s social workers with experience and expertise in end-of-life issues for patients and their caregivers. Hospice of the Bluegrass Associate Vice President of Counseling, Sherri Weisenfluh served on the committee which created this new credential.

The CHP-SW credential was designed by social workers who are leaders in the field for social workers who have demonstrated compliance with national standards of excellence. This credential highlights the professionalism of social workers who have received post-education specialty training in hospice and palliative care, and demonstrates the social worker’s commitment to and expertise in end-of-life services. An advanced level of the credential was launched last fall for social workers licensed at the master’s level.

“We know that bachelor’s level social workers play an equally important role in providing hospice and palliative care to patients and families,” says Elizabeth Clark, PhD, MSW, MPH, executive director of NASW. “NASW and NHPCO recognized the need for highly qualified social workers to be recognized at all education levels, and are pleased to introduce this much anticipated credential for BSW social workers.”

Certified social workers in hospice and palliative care provide a professional continuum of services addressing the biopsychosocial needs of patients and families affected by serious and life-limiting illnesses in order to maintain or improve their quality of life.

“Hospices rely on the expertise of professional social workers at both the bachelor’s and master’s levels to provide care and support to patients and families during the last months of life,” says J. Donald Schumacher, PsyD, president and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. “This new credential recognizes those at the bachelor’s level who have invested in their professional development to ensure patients and families receive the highest quality care possible.”
The collaboration between NASW and NHPCO enhances the depth of the hospice credential, with NASW addressing evolving social work issues, while NHPCO focuses on emerging issues in hospice and palliative care.

Some of the basic requirements for the hospice and palliative care credential include:

  • A bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited university,
  • Where applicable, a professional social work license in the jurisdiction of practice
  • At least two years of supervised social work experience in hospice and palliative care,
  • 20 or more CEU’s related specifically to the specialty practice,
  • A commitment to compliance with NASW Code of Ethics and the NASW Standards for End of Life Care,
  • Membership in NASW and NHPCO.

For more information or to apply for the Hospice Credential, please email credentialing@naswdc.org or visit www.socialworkers.org/credentials.

About the National Association of Social Workers
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, D.C., is the largest membership organization of professional social workers with nearly 150,000 members in 56 chapters throughout the United States and abroad. It promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.

Hospice of the Bluegrass Fellowship Program Receives Accreditation

Hospice of the Bluegrass is one of 48 programs deemed in compliance with the Fellowship Program Requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The private, non-profit organization is responsible for the accreditation of post-MD medical training programs within the United States and has established standards & guidelines for Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship programs. The purpose of ACGME is to provide a holistic organized educational program with guidance and supervision of resident fellows.

Programs must be provided or sponsored by an academic institution that offers other ACGME fellowships. The University Of Kentucky College Of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine sponsors the Hospice of the Bluegrass (HOB) program. Dr. Gerald Klim, specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is currently completing the HPM fellowship with Hospice of the Bluegrass. Dr. Todd Coté, Chief Medical Officer with HOB is Fellowship Program Director. Click here for additional information about the Palliative Care Fellowship .

Hospice of the Bluegrass Receives Grant to Increase Access to Hospice and Palliative Care for Rural and Homeless Veterans Awarded by NHPCO

Hospice of the Bluegrass is a recipient of a NHPCO “Reaching Out” grant. Funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the grants program is designed to increase access to hospice and palliative care services for rural and homeless veterans.

Grants have been awarded to eighteen providers nationwide that represent a range of community-based organizations. These providers are working collaboratively with their own community partnerships on innovative programs that aim to provide care and services to veterans at the end of life. The grants will contribute funding to each grantee provider for nine months to not only support the success of individual programs, but to ultimately assist the VA in discovering new ways to reach homeless veterans and veterans living in rural areas.

Grant Recipients:

  • Arkansas Hospice, Inc., Hot Springs, AR
  • California Hospice Foundation, Sacramento, CA
  • Colorado Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Colorado Springs, CO
  • Community Health and Counseling Services, Bangor, ME
  • Connecticut Association for Home Care & Hospice, Wallingford, CT
  • Covenant Hospice, Inc., Pensacola, FL
  • Delaware Hospice, Inc., Wilmington, DE
  • Hinds Hospice, Fresno, CA
  • Hospice & Palliative Care Center, Winston-Salem, NC
  • Hospice Life Care, a program of the Holyoke Visiting Nurses Association, Inc., Holyoke, MA
  • Hospice of Chattanooga, Inc., Chattanooga, TN
  • Hospice of the Bluegrass and Palliative Care Center of the Bluegrass, Lexington, KY
  • Hospice of the Foothills, Grass Valley, CA
  • Interfaith Sanctuary Housing Services, Boise, ID
  • LINK of Hampton Roads, Inc., Newport News, VA
  • Michigan Hospice & Palliative Care Organization, Lansing, MI
  • New Jersey Hospice & Palliative Care Organization, Scotch Plains, NJ
  • Tennessee Hospice Organization, Nashville, TN\

Many Americans are unaware that more than 50,000 veterans die each month; that’s roughly 28 percent of all deaths in the United States. Nearly 40 percent of enrolled veterans live in areas that are considered rural, where community hospices and VA palliative care programs are often not readily available. On any given night, more than 200,000 veterans are without shelter and lack basic healthcare. Ensuring that all veterans receive compassionate, quality care at the end-of-life is a priority of NHPCO and the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospice and Palliative Care Program.

“This grant program will help us learn from care providers who are currently engaged in veteran partnerships and will offer some best practices to help other end-of-life care providers learn how to reach rural and homeless veterans in need of hospice and palliative care services,” commented J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO.

Hospice care is part of the basic eligibility package for veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Hospice services also are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, most managed care organizations, private insurance plans, and HMOs. However, like majority of the American public, most veterans don’t know that these options exist.

Information for hospices about providing care to veterans is available at www.nhpco.org/veterans.

For Medicare Patients and Families, a special announcement about your Medicare Summary Notice

Hospices, including Hospice of the Bluegrass, have been asked by Medicare to include additional information on the bills sent to them to pay for your hospice care. Specifically, Medicare wants to know about the visits made by certain hospice staff to each of our patients. The Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) lists your Medicare health insurance claims information.  The MSN lists all the services or supplies that were billed to Medicare for a 90-day period of time.  We want you to know that the new information being reported will cause the MSN to look a little different.

In the past Medicare asked hospices to include the number of days you received hospice care.  Beginning July 1, 2008, Medicare required that we also include all visits made to you during the month by our social workers, nurses, nursing assistants and physicians.  If you received care in our inpatient unit, Medicare wants us also to show as “visits” the services from our social workers, nurses, nursing assistants and physicians.

In addition, Medicare makes us assign a charge to each visit.  These charges will appear in the “Non-covered charges” box on your MSN.  These charges DO NOT increase or decrease our payments from Medicare.  Hospice of the Bluegrass will receive the same payment for your hospice services as before.  And most importantly, there are no additional payments expected from patients and families because of these Medicare changes.

We understand that it may appear the cost of hospice is high because both types of charges are now on the bill; we are particularly concerned about patients with inpatient stays since staff visit frequently during the day.  Medicare will only allow one charge per program and we have chosen to use a home care charge.  We hope that Medicare will shortly remove the charge for each visit and will just keep the each day charge as before.

For specific questions regarding your MSN notice, please call the phone number found in the Customer Service Information box listed on the front of the notice.  Your hospice team is also available to answer questions about our services.  You may also call our office at (800) 876-6005 and ask for the Medicare Billing office.

We apologize for any confusion or anxiety to our patients and families resulting from these Medicare changes.

Sincerely,
Gretchen M. Brown
President & CEO