JOURNEYSA newsletter for friends and families of Hospice of the North CountrySpring/Summer 2017

Jeep raffle

YOU can win a new YELLOW 2016 JEEP RENEGADE SPORT FWD while safeguarding hospice care for those living in our communities. The raffle tickets for the Jeep, valued at $19,520, can be purchased by cash or check (payable to Hospice of the North Country) at Hospice of the North Country and Roberts Sport Center

of Malone through June 2. “We are really excited to be able to work with such a great organization like Hospice of the North Country and hope our donation helps them to continue providing the high level of services they are known for,” said Lowell Warner. All the raffle proceeds will remain in the North Country to provide care to patients facing life-limiting illness and bereavement services for their families. “We are overwhelmed with this incredible gift of appreciation and are extremely grateful for such wonderful community support,” said Natalie Whitehurst, Executive Director, Hospice of the North Country. The tickets are $20 each or $100 for 6 and no more than 2,000 tickets will be sold. You must be at least 18 to purchase tickets. There is no limit on the number of tickets one may purchase. The lucky winner of the Jeep will be announced on Friday, June 2 at S&S Auto’s grand opening, 3385 St. Rt. 11, Malone, after a random drawing. The winner need not be present to win. Sales tax may be applicable. The donations received from this fundraiser will help to fund or defray the costs of unfunded and underfunded patient/family care services and outreach provided by Hospice of the North Country.

donated byS&S AUTO

ENTER to WIN!

Buy your tickets today! 1/$20 or 6/$100

Mark your calendar!Be a part of the fun in 2017!Look for more events to be scheduled

23rd Annual George & Doris Gebo Run for HospiceSunday, May 21 at 10:00 a.m.Rigid Performance, 8751 Route 9, Chazy

Malone Memorial Butterfly ReleaseSaturday, June 3 10:00 a.m. Malone Recreational Park, Malone

Plattsburgh Memorial Butterfly ReleaseSaturday, June 1011:00 a.m.Melissa Penfield Park, Plattsburgh

12th Annual Frank Davio Memorial Golf BenefitFriday, July 211:30 p.m.Malone Golf Club

13th Annual 5k Run/WalkSaturday, October 7 10:00 a.m.Malone Adult Center

Light up a LifeDecember 1- 2410:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.Champlain Centre Mall, Plattsburgh

518.561.8465518.483.3200

Scan code with your smartphone to visit our website: hospicenc.org

connect with us

“It is important to recognize that when a death is disenfranchised that there is a greater chance of the person’s mourning process to become complicated.” –Dr. Christina Zampitella, Psy.D., FTSubmitted by Rosa Ganiszewski, LMSW, Bereavement Coordinator, Hospice of the North CountryNot long ago I had the privilege of attending a presentation with two of my colleagues. The focus was about transforming grief and loss and how to apply these strategies with the individuals we serve. Of particular interest was the topic of “disenfranchised loss” which I found to be quite beneficial and I believe that everyone should be knowledgeable about. The presenter was Dr. Christina Zampitella, Psy.D, FT. She explained disenfranchised loss with the following categories:

1. When the relationship is not recognized, such as the loss not being family related.2. When the loss is not recognized at all, such as pets, miscarriages, and non-death related loss such as a job, marriage, or injury.3. When the griever is not recognized, such as when the person is sheltered or the grief is minimized.4. The circumstances of the death, like when the death is stigmatized as often happens with suicide or AIDS.5. How one’s grief differs from how others grieve often leads to disenfranchised comments such as, “You should be more focused on who is still here.”

So how do we help those who are grieving and avoid disenfranchisement? Dr. Zampitella suggests the following:• Don’t try and “fix” the grieving individual, just let them talk about how they are feeling without judgment.• If you aren’t comfortable around a grieving individual because it is upsetting then work through your own feelings with someone else.• Validate the feelings they are sharing and never reject them either verbally or through your actions.• Understand that you should never expect someone to mourn the way you do or think you would.• Realize that mourning has no timeline. Someone may seem as if they are coping better and then become more intense, such as at anniversary dates, holidays, birthdays, or in the second year of loss. You may observe some varying emotions, including sadness, anxiety, or anger. This is NORMAL.Additional information is available from Dr. Christina Zampitella, Psy.D., FT at http://www.drzampitella.com/

OUR MISSION, in honoring life, is to help people of the North Country die in spiritual, mental, and physical comfort. We support and encourage people and their

families to determine their end-of-life care.

visit us on the web at hospicenc.org and facebook

OUR VISION, is to give life to the ideal of excellence for our patients, their families, our community, and ourselves.

Distinguished by our compassion, knowledge, and skills, we will be the strongest advocates in the North Country

for death with dignity, grace, and peace.

358 Tom Miller RoadPlattsburgh, NY 12901

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Hospice of the North Country is a partner agency with the United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc.

NON-PROFIT ORG.

US POSTAGE

PAID

PLATTSBURGH, NY

PERMIT NO. 34

Thank you to our Board of Directors who donate their time and talents to further our Mission.

Tim BoshartPRESIDENT Brian StewartVICE PRESIDENT

Dawn ScottTREASURER Susan ScottSECRETARY

Kjell Dahlen, MDTom GlasgowPaul HellerMichael KirkWilliam MeconiRebecca Preve

We extend a special thank you to the families of Peter Hubble and William and Hetty Mae Mort for graciously sharing memories of their loved ones and experiences with Hospice of the North Country. Thank you to everyone who honored the memory of a loved-one or bought a raffle ticket; your contributions helped us raise $35,465. Thank you to the Champlain Centre Mall for hosting our event in December. We are grateful to those who donated raffle prizes:Carol ChaseMichael FleuryRoberts Sport Center of MaloneTracey TavanoNatalie WhitehurstWe couldn’t have done it without the community volunteers, Hospice staff, volunteers, and board members—thank you for sharing your time with us at the mall.

Clinton County Board of Realtors Donation

Mary Fry, CCBR member (left) and Dawn Carpenter, NY State Association of REALTORS® President (right) presents Hospice employees Cathlyn Lamitie, Director of Development/Communications and Lauren Tyler, CFO, with a $10,000 check in support of the Light up a Life campaign. Natalie Whitehurst, Executive Director of Hospice of the North Country expressed her gratitude to the Clinton County Board of Directors for its seventeen years of support. “Thank you for your years of continued commitment and generosity to our mission and to the community!”

A Caring Community

Congratulations Poppy Dupuis! Poppy won the 2016 DS 90 ATV donated by Wayne Roberts of Roberts Sport Center of Malone and BRP. Thank you to everyone who bought tickets—you helped us raise $5,745 in support of our Light up a Life campaign!

ATV Winner! Thank You to the generous businesses, organizations, and individuals that raised funds on our behalf* Bechard’s Sugar HouseClinton County Board of RealtorsFirst Presbyterian ChurchFranklin CorrectionalKnights of Columbus #255Kathy LashombTaylor LaValleyKellie TaverniaLowell Warner/S&S AutoWomen of St. Paul’sSeptember 2016—February 2017

Shop AmazonSmile to support Hospice of the North Country!

Are you an Amazon shopper? Check out AmazonSmile, an easy way to support us while you shop. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Hospice of the North County. To start donating: visit smile.amazon.com and click “get started” and select Hospice of the North Country as your charity of choice.

SCAN to give!Scan code with your smartphone to donate hospicenc.org/donate/

Natalie Whitehurst,Executive Director

Light up a Life

Message from the Executive DirectorAs winter begins to fade and we move toward warmer and longer days, we here at Hospice are excited to start gearing up for our community fundraising events. We are certainly blessed to serve patients across Clinton and Franklin Counties and to have the support of such generous community members that span both counties. I’ve been asked by donors how their contributions help us and how funds are actually allocated. I can appreciate these questions as I like to know how my own giving benefits local charities. Furthermore, I want to know that my donations are truly serving the greater good. Hospice care is partially funded through private insurance as well as Medicare and Medicaid. However, only a portion of actual patient care (e.g. prescriptions, doctor visits, medical equipment) is covered. One area of Hospice care that is not reimbursed and that HONC must self-support is Bereavement services, which we also provide free of charge to the public. This is where community support plays such a vital role in caring for patients, families, caregivers, and community needs surrounding a loved one’s death. Medication costs vary greatly based on the unique needs of each patient, but a $50 donation can help pay for three days of prescription charges. We are continually grateful and humbled by the generous outpouring of support we receive throughout the seasons and thankful to be entrusted with your families’, neighbors’ and friends’ care.

National Volunteer Week--April 23-29Making the world a brighter place!

In 2016, our Volunteers donated 3,126 hours & 13,656 miles.

An $86, 261.24 savings for Hospice

Volunteers...the Heart of Hospice Hospice WelcomesLauren Tyler, CFO, is responsible for strategic financial leadership, planning, implementing, and management of the organization’s FinanceDepartment activities.

As a member of the leadership team she helps shape and execute a strategic plan that is designed to ensure patients and families receive exceptional hospice care by compassionate and skilled health care professionals. Tyler is a native of Plattsburgh, NY and an alumni of Plattsburgh State University, where she earned two Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Business Administration. Tyler is President of the Plattsburgh Lions Club and enjoys spending her free time giving back to the community. “I am excited to be part of a dedicated and passionate team that’s committed to helping others in one of their greatest times of need.”

Lauren Tyler, BSCFO

Making the world a brighter place!

National Volunteer Week April 23-29

In 2016, our Volunteers donated 3,126 hours & 13,656 miles ~

an $86, 261.24 savings for Hospice.

We sat down with Brenda Wisher, a retired Registered Nurse and Hospice of the North Country volunteer. Brenda shared her personal story and how it inspired her to make a difference in the lives of those who are in the final journey of life and the people who care for them. Hospice: You have been a volunteer for Hospice of the North Country for more than a year. Why did you make the decision to donate your time to help our organization?Brenda: My decision to become a volunteer was the result of very personal experiences I had with my mother; she passed away under hospice care. As a nurse I helped others with illness and saw people in the midst of grief, but as a daughter I had to step back and allow the hospice nurses to care for my mother and our family members. They did such a good job caring for my mother and supporting our family. We have a big family and we were all impacted by my mother’s illness. We worked together to care for mom and Hospice helped us navigate this difficult journey. They were great. Hospice: How did you balance being a nurse and a daughter?Brenda: I gained a different perspective. I was no longer acting as a nurse. I was simply a daughter who was loving and caring for my mother at the end of her life. I was experiencing many complex feelings and emotions, including grief. Hospice: Do you carry those experiences with you as a volunteer?Brenda: Yes, definitely. I was the child of

a parent who passed away from a terminal illness so I can connect with families who are going through the same thing. I know what it is like. Three months after my mother’s death I decided to pursue volunteering. However, I learned that hospice policy requires people to wait one year after the death of a loved one to volunteer. I believe this is a good policy because you must allow yourself time to heal. It is important to note that this is my personal experience. There are wonderful hospice volunteers who have not had previous experiences with hospice.Hospice: How does volunteering make you feel?Brenda: I find volunteering in the homes is very rewarding; I’m able to give both the patients and families support. I can talk with patients or simply be there to provide a caring presence. It’s important for family caregivers to take time to care for their own well-being and volunteers are able to provide an opportunity for much needed caregiver respite. Hospice: Do you volunteer in the Hospice office?Brenda: Yes, I also enjoy volunteering

in the office. The staff is nice and understanding. I feel very supported and when I need help everyone is willing to provide guidance or direction. It feels very nice to be appreciated and made to feel like I’m part of the team. Hospice: Do you have advice for people who are considering

becoming a hospice volunteer?Brenda: Don’t be afraid. I would definitely encourage them to give it a try. Volunteers receive training and you can choose to do only what you are comfortable with. You can shadow and get a feel for what it means to be a hospice volunteer. There are all kinds of things that they can do to help in the office and in patient homes. Hospice is flexible with volunteer schedules. As a volunteer I feel I truly make a difference. I hope others join me in sharing their time and making meaningful connections with people in need.

Brenda Wisher, Volunteer

Do you Want to

volunteer?Please call561.8465483.3200

What does hospice mean to you?

Steven Murphey, RN & Michelle Rabideau, LPN

Rosa Ganiszewski, LMSW

Rosa Ganiszewski, LMSW & Bereavement Services Coordinator, is responsible for providing

support services to hospice patients and their families. Additionally, she provides bereavement support services for loved ones of the patient. Bereavement services are also available to members of the community. Rosa grew up in Southern California and found her way here to the North Country in 2007 after her husband completed several years of military service. Rosa is an alumni of Clinton Community College, Plattsburgh State University, and earned her Masters of Social Work from the University of Southern California with a concentration in Mental Health. “My parents raised me with the belief that if I have the ability to help someone, that I should never second guess myself and just do it. In the past few years I have had life experiences that have shown me the compassion that hospice provides for the truly inspiring individuals who are in their care. I feel genuinely blessed to be a part of that, too.”