The JourneySeptember 2011

Through the Eyes of Love

September 21st is World Alzheimer'sDay

Passing It On

We Remember

2Passages Hospice

2Passages Hospice

Your passage to care and comfort.

847-695-1431

On the web:www.passageshospice.com

Email:info@passageshospice.com

Phone:

Our Mission Passages is dedicated to the human spirit — helping patients and families cross a road they may have never faced before. We provide the courage to see the beauty in this last journey and give the expertise that provides the comfort, care and support needed for each step of the way.

Administrators Seth Gillman Gwen Hilsabeck

Clinical ServicesCarmen Velez

Physician ServicesChris Doyle

Social ServicesRoxxi Davis

Spiritual CareJoe Barefield

PR & FoundationKansas Swain

Medical Director Dr. Birinder Marwah

AdmissionsLee Moore

From the AdministratorSeth Gillman

The cover feature this month talks about the prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias, and how important it is to Passages Hospice to treat dementia effectively. Nearly half of all nursing home residents have some level of dementia and need special care. The brain with dementia functions in a fundamentally different way than the average brain, so using traditional techniques to care for a dementia patient simply won't work.

Several years ago, I realized it was my duty as a healthcare provider to give each patient exactly the type of care they need. For those with dementia, that meant educating ourselves, changing our expectations and coming up with a new plan - one that would give our patients and their families the most complete care possible.

The Passages Through Time dementia program was born of that commitment. Not only do we train our own staff in the best care techniques, we educate nursing facilities, physicians and our communities about dementia. No patient is beyond the reach of a dedicated doctor, nurse, aide, friend or loved one when they are equipped with the right tools.

During World Hospice Month, I encourage you to educate yourself about dementia: its causes, effects and treatments. On September 21st, wear purple in support of dementia research. As

always, thank you for your trust in Passages Hospice and

for joining us in raising awareness of

dementia-related issues.

3Passages Hospice

After three months as Chaplain with Passages I have come to a couple of realizations. First, some patients are blessed by great families who love and support them. I can always count on either seeing them in a nursing home or know that I can call them at any time. Second, there are a lot of patients to whom the Passages staff have become the only family they have. For reasons unknown they have been rejected by those who are supposed to love them the most. Maybe they have cancer and their family doesn't know how to cope, or maybe they have dementia and their family is embarrassed. I don't know why families have abandoned them, but I'll gladly take the responsibility - will you? Let me share with you the story of Father Jim.

Father Jim was the head of an orphanage and he had a great ability to make people feel good about themselves. If there was a kid with unruly hair, he had the ability to make that kid believe everybody wanted unruly hair. If a kid had big feet, he made him think that everybody envied him. He had the ability to make everybody feel good about themselves, regardless of their physical appearance. One day the social worker showed up at the orphanage with a boy about 9 who had a huge, ugly birthmark on the side of his face. He had been abused and nobody seemed to love or accept him; as a result

he was filled with hostility. When the social worker was leaving, he began cussing her and everybody around him. Then he went over to the corner, sat down and sulked. He wouldn’t talk to anybody.

The kids stood around, wondering what Father Jim would do when he came back. Finally, they heard his old station wagon pull up and they

all rushed to the door, greeting him and hugging his legs as they always

did.

Father Jim walked into the room and there was this little boy

crouched in the corner, with the ugly birthmark on his face. Father Jim said, “Well,

what do we have here?” Someone said, “The

social worker just brought him by.” “Well, well,” said

Father Jim. He walked over to that little

boy and knelt down beside him. Then he swooped him up in his arms and

kissed him right on that birthmark. And all the kids started clapping, because they knew that if Father Jim kissed the birthmark it was all right. It made it beautiful, just because Father Jim said it was. I encourage you to look at everyone you come in contact with like Father Jim looked at his kids, through the eyes of love.

Through the eyes of love

Kip Knavel, Chaplain

4Passages Hospice

Region BDon HostetlerCathy Edwards and Poodles "Red" and "Maxine"Meghan Hegarty and English Bulldog "Mack"

Region CKelly Baumgardner - IndirectChristina CarusoDorrie MeyerJessie ArmstrongAlmira Karajic

Welcome new volunteers!

MORE >> Click here to visit the volunteer program online.

"I never got a chance to say good bye, to say I’m sorry or I love you." These are regrets one

family will never have because of hospice. The family had lost loved ones previously and had multiple questions: "What was it like? Was someone in the room at that time? Was he afraid? Did he look for me?” But because of hospice, this time the family was prepared when another loved one was dying. This time the family called it a “beautiful death.” The family was at the bedside holding their loved one, hand in hand, and telling him one at a time that they loved him until his breath was no more.

These are parts of a poem shared with me by one member of that family.

If I knew it would be the last time that I’d see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly, and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

There will always be another day, to say our “I love you’s”, and certainly there’s another chance, to say out, “Anything I can do’s...”

But just in case I might be wrong and today is all I get, I’d like to say how much I love you and hope you never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, and today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight…

So if you’re waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today? For if tomorrow never comes, you’ll surely regret the day

that you didn’t take that extra time for a smile, a hug or a kiss, and you were too busy to grant someone what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved one close today, whisper in their ear, tell them how much you love them and that you’ll always hold them dear.

Take time to say “I’m sorry,” “please forgive me,” “thank you” or “it’s okay”.

And if tomorrow never comes, you’ll have no regrets about today. Hospice work comes from within our CNAs, RNs, Admission Coordinators, Chaplains, Educators, Physicians, Social Workers and so many others - and it shows. Within our hearts and minds, we guide each person towards talking to their loved ones in the months and hours of their passing.

Julia Braunlich, Social Worker

Social Scene

Volunteer ProgramTrish Thein, Director of Volunteer Services 630-945-2172pthein@passageshospice.com

Nicole BrokawVolunteer Coordinator - Rockford Area815-312-7741

Department Email: volunteer@passageshospice.comDepartment Fax: 847-594-6143

Volunteer Department Contact Info:

5Passages Hospice

Spotlight on...

Direct CarePatient and Family SupportVolunteers provide personal care, emotional support, and practical assistance to patients and families.

� Reading / Talking / Listening � Assisting with memory projects � Playing games � Going for a walk

Events, Dreams, and TransportationVolunteers provide practical assistance and support at special events. One-time volunteer services from such as quilters, choirs, clubs and scouts are included.

� Minor errands � Light household tasks � Seasonal and holiday projects

Indirect CareBereavement AssistantVolunteers provide clerical assistance with Bereavement After Care under the supervision of the Bereavement and/or Social Work staff.

� Mailings � Filing � Photocopying � Data Entry

Office AssistantVolunteers provide clerical assistance with patient record keeping.

� Mailings � Filing � Photocopying � Data entry

Ways to Give

Volunteer Program

Congrats!

Passages Hospice Volunteer Program would like to highlight our volunteer, Sneha Gaikwad. Sneha began volunteering for Passages in July in Naperville, where

she visited two patients on a weekly basis. Now that she has been with us for a little over two months, she is returning to the University of Illinois where she attends school. Sneha will be taking on new patients as she attends school there. Sneha’s mother will also be joining our volunteer program. She is currently in volunteer training and will begin to see the patients Sneha had spent time with in Naperville.

6Passages Hospice

5.3 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s Disease or another type of dementia, accounting for $172 billion dollars in healthcare spending every year.

Dementia is a general term for the loss of cognitive abilities, which can include memory, speech, use of limbs and the ability to make sound judgments. Studies estimate that in nursing homes, about half the patients experience some dementia, and in hospice care, about 10% of the patients have a primary diagnosis of dementia. As the first Baby Boomers reach retirement age in 2011, their risk of developing dementia will more than double every ten years. For family and friends, that means a greatly increased chance of becoming the caregiver for a loved one with dementia. In fact, more than 10 million Americans are unpaid caregivers to a loved one with dementia.

Caring for someone with dementia can be particularly challenging because they have trouble clearly expressing their needs and wants. They may not speak at all or have speech that is difficult to understand. There is currently no medication to completely treat or cure the effects of dementia, but most patients with dementia can benefit from one or more therapy techniques, and all patients benefit from having dedicated professionals who are trained in the advanced, compassionate care of people with dementia.

Passages Hospice is proud to offer a dementia-specific training program for its entire staff, Passages Through Time. The intensive 6-week course teaches staff leisure and self-care activities for dementia patients, the stages, progression and behaviors of a patient with dementia, techniques for communicating with dementia patients, how to create positive social environments for patients with dementia and more.

One of the most popular and successful tools in the Passages Through Time program is the PARO robot. The PARO robot uses built-in tactile, light, audio, temperature and posture sensors to interact with dementia patients and encourage communication. PARO looks, feels, and sounds like a baby seal. It will coo when you pet it and cry when you squeeze it too hard. It knows its name, and the sound of your voice.

Passages is the only hospice in the country using PARO in its dementia program, and it has made such a difference for our patients that we recently brought home our fourth robot!

Show your support for the fight against Alzheimer’s Disease by joining Passages in wearing purple on Wednesday, September 21st. Post a picture on our Facebook page!

September 21st is World Alzheimer’s Day

September

21st is Wear

Purlple Day!

Passing It On...A simple way to give back

7Passages Hospice

Our PARO family is growing! Passages now uses four PARO robots in Illinois and Michigan, and they're always a hit with residents and staff alike. Whether you meet Pikatti, Dala, Mozart or Shiro, you're sure to fall in love. We always enjoy sharing our

furry friends with our nursing facility partners, and would love to schedule a visit at your facility! Please contact Education Coordinator Mindy Lam at mlam@passageshospice.com or 630-940-6936 to schedule a visit.

Thank you to the facilities who hosted a PARO visit in August:

Asta Care Center of Elgin, as featured in the Kane County Chronicle

Rosewood of St. Charles, as featured in Elgin Courier

Pine Acres, as featured in Daily Chronicles

Geneva Nursing and Rehabilitation, as featured in My Suburban Life

Cahokia Nursing and Rehabilitation, as featured in St. Louis Post Dispatch

Did you know?

Sandwich

Evansron Sterling Coventry

Oak Ridge

Central NursingFair Oaks

West Suburban

Ballard NursingDixon Healthcare

Hinsdale

Chateau Village

Emeritus

Pine Acres Rehab

Oregon Health Care

Amberwood Care

Freeport Rehab

West Suburban

Meadowbrook Manor

Rosewood St. Charles

Courtyard Berwyn

Frankfort Terrace

Forest ViewLibertyville Manor

Rockford Nursing

Asta Care Rockford

Swedish Covenant

Hillcrest of Round Lake

Crystal Pines

Springs at Crystal Lake

Cedar Pointe

Wood GlenLake Shore Care & Rehab

Lifescape Nursing

8Passages Hospice

Passages Hospice Dreams is fulfilling more Dreams than ever, thanks to the generous support of our individual and corporate sponsors! All gifts enable us to continue our mission of seeking out experiences that are good for the spirit, decreasing stress, increasing quality of life and empowering our patients to

live according to their terms. Whether your Dream is for a special reunion or a day at the ballpark, we look forward to the opportunity to make it come true.

Thank you to people, businesses and organizations that made these Dreams possible in August:

Jerome Gonia attended his first Cubs game, including on-field seats and a meet-and-greet with players

Betty Sowa, a lifelong gardner, visited the Barber and Oberwortmann Horticultural Center in Joliet

Betty Schultz attended her first live concert at Ottawa Riverfest

Juanita Romanik enjoyed a 'girls day out' with her friends, including a manicure, lunch and movie

Maria Figerora took a ‘Hawaiian’ cruise on lake Michigan with Mystic Blue Cruises

Jessie Porretta relived her days on the staff at the Drake and Hyatt Continental hotels in Chicago

Claude Powell, an avid fisherman, visited the Shedd Aquarium

Loretta Finley was reunited with her family after more than 20 years

Dorothy Pipenhagen, an animal lover, was the guest of honor at a petting zoo

Robert Moore attended a Cirque Du Soleil show

Larry Junas, an avid outdoorsman, received a large painting to help make his room more cheerful

Ron Obregon enjoyed a day at the Brookfield Zoo with his family. He & his family were VIP's at a special dolphin encounter.

Bette Pesche, owner of a large greenhouse and flower shop, visited the Chicago Botanic Garden

George Schneider, former Navy pilot, had special seats to watch the Chicago Air and Water Show

Be sure to read the full stories of some of our Dreams on the next page.

A Dream come true

9Passages Hospice

Cause

Passages Hospice Dreams

Maria, 83, always dreamt of seeing the islands of Hawaii on a cruise. When her failing health kept her stateside, non-profit Passages Hospice Dreams and Mystic Blue

Cruises brought a little Hawaii to Lake Michigan.

Bright, tropical clothing and a floppy straw hat helped the octogenarian get in the island mood as she was chauffeured from her home at Center Home for Hispanic Elderly to Navy Pier.

Maria's 'cruise' captains met her at the pier, decorating her with fresh flower leis and escorting her to the afternoon's special Hawaiian section, where Maria exchanged her straw hat for one adorned with fresh flowers before taking a sip from a punch-filled pineapple.

After a meal served by staff in tropical costumes, Maria enjoyed a fresh fruit platter and a game of not-so-Hawaiian bingo. Although the sights from the ship's balcony held more skyscrapers than palm trees, drinks with umbrellas and lively music kept the island spirit alive - at least for the afternoon.

"This is the best day I could have," Maria said.

Passages Hospice Dreams

Passages Hospice 10

Although she loves to listen to the radio, tapes and CDs, 82-year-old Betty of Morris had never seen a band live in concert until August 5th.

The band was already warming up when Betty and her family arrived at Riverfest in Ottawa. Staff escorted the octogenarian, the evening's V.I.P., to exclusive front row seats where Betty would see her first live band.

"We're glad to have her," said Heidy Eisert, Riverfest Coordinator.

After sampling all the best fair treats (curly fries, a lemonade shake-up and a funnel cake) Betty settled in to hear a live concert for the first time. The band, Road Angel, kept Betty's toes tapping and her hands clapping, and dedicated the Rolling Stones classic "Honky Tonk Woman" to her. An on-stage shout out and off-stage visit from the band's vocalist Laurie Lister-Calsyn completed the evening.

"This was great," said Sandy, Betty's daughter. "Mom really loved it."

11Passages Hospice

MORE >> Click here to learn more about the Passages Hospice Dreams.

Passages Hospice Dreams

Although Claude has been a fisherman all his life, he met a whole new set of aquatic friends on August 12th. Powell

was a guest of honor at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where he went behind-the-scenes to learn about how the Shedd operates. The highlight of the afternoon was a visit with the Aquarium's penguins and their caretakers.

Bette grew up among the rows of carnations that has made her family's flower shop a Des Plaines hometown

favorite since 1923. Since she was old enough to walk, she walked among the brightly colored stems, planting, pruning and gathering armfuls to sell.

Now, at age 90 and as a hospice patient, Bette doesn't spend much time in the dirt anymore. But even though it's been years since she sold her last bouquet, the scent of roses and shades of green will always be a part of her life.

In celebration of Bette's lifelong dedication to her community and the field of horticulture, the Chicago Botanic Garden welcomed Bette as a guest of honor on August 23rd. Bette received an escorted tour though the Garden's best exhibits and a special reservation at the Garden Cafe.

"This is amazing," Bette said of her time in the Garden.

12Passages Hospice

Passages Hospice Dreams

Passages Hospice

Allen Lesher Robert and Dorothy Wendel Kenneth Trotter Bill and Rita Toohill Aloysious Zucker Susan Meintsma

Amelia Hoeller Lucille Ptaszek

Armando Luevano Ann Smith Beryl Jones Robert and Shirley Stelbrink Cheryl McGee

Catherine Jacobson Rita Thorngren

Celia Newsome Susan Janson

Charlotte Brod Paul and Marilyn Deppermann Charles and Jessie Erby Lawrence and Donna Butterfield Burl and Linda Williams Susan McCraith Eileen Brod Delores Garske Terry and Carol Shirley

Clinton Woodyatt James and Renee Gilge

E. Bruce Johnson Kelvin Johnson Susan Foody

Elaine Gartner Kathy Bucknell

Grace Redmond Dean Collins Charles Barr John and Melanie Frieburg John and Janet Stein Sandra Kirby Lawrence and Ava Sutter Daniel and Anne Crider Stephen and Rita Vollmer Carol Birkey John and Marry Ellen Leonard Donald or Carol Ann Tjarks Robert and Bonnie Jo Mitchell Karen Terry Betty Fulton Donna Lindelof Marvin and Beverly Beecher Mike and Linda McLaughlin Elynor Stagen

Irene Moeller Ford and Betty Miller

Larry Junas John and Wilma Junas

Lena Chadwick Barbara Benson Patricia Young

Mabel Stromlund Carol Goldberg Lynn Reichter Cleo and Dixie Rud Helen Hamilton Bonnie Sullivan

Marvin Waters Annie Waters

Myra Price Ferne Onken

Norma Krcmaric Matthew Krcmaric

Richard Dillow Ena Finch

Rosemary Maurer Diane Maurer

Vilena Frank Paul and Susie Friesz William and Maxine Corzine Donald Hatch St. Clare's Hospital ICU/PCU Saint Clare's Hospital

Other gifts Timothy and Janet Keating James and Mary Slayton Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Knutson Perry and Sherrill Wilson

Memorial Gifts

A gift in any amount brings hope and joy to a hospice patient and a family. Passages Hospice Dreams is a 501(c)3 organization and donations are tax-deductible.

Your gift will make a difference.

Name _______________________________________ Address _______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

I wish to make a gift of $_________ in (circle one) memory/honor

of ___________________________________ .

Mail to: Passages Hospice Dreams, 515 Warrenville Rd., Lisle, IL 60532 Please consult your financial advisor about how this donation affects your taxes.

FASTER >> Donate online via Paypal by clicking here.

Passages Hospice Dreams

13Passages Hospice

Tammy Swalls-Loman, Branch Manager in the St. Louis area, has already made an incredible difference in the 3 months since she joined Passages. As Branch Manager, Tammy is the main liaison for multiple departments, and is responsible for making

sure everything runs smoothly in a fast-growing area.

"Her enthusiasm and talent was incredible in making a huge difference," said Passages Hospice Administrator Seth Gillman. "She really did a great job making the area what we knew it would be."

Tammy's motivating spirit keeps staff in her office energized, and her excellent organization is helping the St. Louis area reach new patients, families and locations. We look forward to seeing what new and exciting programs and services southern Illinois receives from Passages under Tammy's management.

Kudos Korner Tammy Swalls-LomanBranch Manager

Swansea, IL

Passages Hospice held its annual All Staff meeting on August 25th in Peoria. The All Staff meeting

brings all Passages departments together to share their experiences and learn more about caring for our patients and families. After business is completed, staff relax and enjoy food and fun together.

Staff in our Michigan office were not able to travel to the All Staff meeting, so they held a family

picnic. We look forward to having our Michigan staff as part of the Passages Hospice team!

Passages Hospice

Our Mission and Philosophy

We are dedicated to the human spirit.

We are dedicated to the requirement of excellence and family-centered care. We are dedicated to being receptive to each patient’s social, emotional, and intellectual safety and physical needs. We are dedicated to enhancing quality of life by promoting and restoring health, calming suffering, and possessing continued compassion for the sick and dying in a way that ensures dignity and respect. We are dedicated to working with professionals who follow the highest values of excellence to establish an individualized plan of care offering personal choices and decisions, while still maintaining each patient’s uniqueness. We are dedicated to a level of care that encourages the safe and cost-effective delivery of hospice care, maximizing patient sovereignty and coordination of community and agency resources, and promoting optimistic outcomes.

Swansea, IL 16 Bronze Pointe Blvd. Swansea, IL 62226 Phone: 618.234.7078 Fax: 618.257.7266 Bloomington, IL 404 N. Hershey Road, Ste. A Bloomington, IL 61704 Phone: 309.828.8139 Fax: 309.827.4878 Lisle, IL 515 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532 Phone: 630.824.0400 Fax: 630.395.9235

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

Southfield, MI 21411 Civic Center Dr., Ste. 101 Southfield, MI 48076 Phone: 248.569.4610 Fax: 248.569.4764

Providing Quality Care In:

www.passageshospice.com

www.facebook.com/PassagesHospice @PassagesHospice

www.youtube.com/user/PassagesHospice

info@passageshospice.com

www.passageshospice.com

Your passage to care and comfort.

Remember all of the people that lost their lives that day

We shall never forgetWe shall keep this day,We shall keep the events and the tearsIn our minds, our memory and our heartsand take them with us as we carry on.-www.911-remember.com

Remember to pause on September 11, 2011