Hospice of the Bluegrass to add 10-12 Nursing Positions Changing Caseloads to Provide More Nurses for Patients and Families

Hospice of the Bluegrass announced today that it is changing staff caseloads to increase the availability of nurses to patients and families. This move will create 10-12 additional nursing positions by early next year. Unfortunately, the move will mean the elimination of up to 20 social work positions across the state in Hospice’s 32 county service area.

Patients, families and the medical community have relied on Hospice for end of life expertise for more than 30 years. Hospice of the Bluegrass is committed to compassionate quality patient care. This commitment to patients requires Hospice to continually evaluate how care is provided to ensure that services the terminally ill patients receive remains at an exceptional level.

“Through feedback from staff and families, we have determined that patient needs require increased nursing interventions. This caseload modification will increase the time nurses can spend with patients,” said Gretchen Brown, president and CEO.

Hospice of the Bluegrass has offices in Lexington, Nicholasville, Frankfort, Cynthiana, Florence, Hazard, Corbin, Harlan and Pikeville. The Corbin, Harlan and Pikeville offices will not lose any social work positions.

Employees affected by the change will be offered a severance package and given at least 60 days notice in order to make appropriate arrangements.

“This was not an easy decision, nor will it be an easy process in the coming months. We would prefer attrition as a way to achieve the targeted caseload assignments, but social workers have the lowest turnover rate of all disciplines and it could take several years to reach the appropriate staffing level,” added Brown. “Ultimately, Hospice makes decisions based on what will improve the quality of the care received by patients and families. At the same time, we care about the employees who are losing their positions and will do what we can to make a difficult situation more bearable.”

Brown added that this move is not financially motivated because the personnel costs for the new nurses will be about the same or greater than the costs of the displaced social workers.

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.

 

Palliative Care Center Moves to New Office

Hospice of the Bluegrass’ Palliative Care Center opens a new office space today at 2407 Member’s Way in Lexington. The Center was previously located at the St. Joseph Office Park. The Palliative Care Center is a nonprofit subsidiary of Hospice of the Bluegrass. It is an interdisciplinary practice of professionals that provides palliative care consultations in a clinic setting, in hospitals and in long-term care facilities.

Palliative care and hospice care are often used synonymously but they are not identical. “Palliative care is the symptom-directed, patient-centered and life-affirming care of individuals, their families and friends who are living with serious illness,” says Dr. Todd Coté, Chief Medical Officer. ”The ultimate goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life for the patient and family. The focus is on a patient’s need for pain control and symptom management caused by the disease process whatever the diagnosis or treatments for the disease. Not only are physical problems of the patient addressed, but also the emotional, social and spiritual concerns of both the patient and family.”

Palliative care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work with a patient’s own doctors to provide an extra layer of support to the patient and family. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided together with curative treatment.

“Hospice care is a subset of palliative care,” says Dr. Coté. “It is palliative care for individuals with a life-limiting or terminal illness. Hospice care is typically for individuals with a life expectancy of six months or less. There is a shift in focus of the treatments and interventions an individual receives. The purpose of any treatment, therapies or interventions for an individual are applied with the purpose of managing bothersome symptoms and maximizing quality of life.”

Many patients with life-limiting diseases are candidates for palliative care, even if they are receiving active treatment for their illness. Consultations are available in Lexington hospitals, long-term care facilities and the out-patient clinic. Patients interested in this service should speak to their primary care physician. For more information, contact the Palliative Care Center at (859) 278-4869.

HOB Clinical Chief Elected to UK Hall of Fame

Sherri Weisenfluh, associate chief clinical officer at HOB, has been inducted into the University of Kentucky’s College of Social Work Hall of Fame. “Sherri embodies the complete social worker,” HOB President/CEO Gretchen Brown said. “Not only is she an excellent clinician, she is a talented manager, respected colleague, and coveted collaborator.”

Weisenfluh, who earned her master’s degree in social work at UK in 1986, joined HOB 19 years ago and has been instrumental in elevating its counseling department. In her current role, she directs all HOB counseling programs, including social work, bereavement, chaplaincy, spiritual-care education and expressive therapy (music, art, etc.). She is responsible for the practice of more than 150 clinicians.

Brown described Weisenfluh as “one of the social work pioneers in the growing palliative care movement.” Among many other achievements, Weisenfluh helped the National Association of Social Workers develop a social-work certification in hospice and palliative care. Today, about 30 percent of HOB’s social workers have earned this certification.

The Hall of Fame inclusion is decided by other social workers, and Weisenfluh said she was particularly honored to know that “my colleagues value and respect my contributions to the field of social work. When the dean of the college introduced past recipients, I really felt proud to be among others that I admire.”

Weisenfluh thanked Brown for “giving me the opportunity and the support to pursue my goals. End-of life care is challenging but meaningful and I feel blessed to be able to work in this field.”

In her nomination letter, Brown wrote that Weisenfluh’s contributions to the field of social work, hospice and palliative care “are really without peer.” Brown added: “More than all of this, her co-workers value her intelligent problem-solving, her supportive counsel, her calm demeanor, her work ethic, honesty and integrity and her wry sense of humor.”

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.

Click here for our news archive.